The Empire Strikes Back
by Amme Moto
Summary: Connan thought it would be simple: amass a great group of people, get Vader out of her way, and kill the Emperor. She didn't think about the consequences that come with having morals.
1. Grow Not Faint of Heart

_**The Empire Strikes Back**_

"_**I will keep faith, at watch continually,  
**__**Close at thy side and vigilant from afar,  
**__**And never gentle to thy enemies.  
**__**And now thou seest them herein slumber seized,  
**__**These ravenous monsters, stretched upon the ground,  
**__**Maidens abominable, children gray with years,  
**__**With whom no God consorts, nor man nor beast,  
**__**Abhorred alike in heaven and on earth,  
**__**For evil born, even as the darkness where  
**__**They dwell is evil, the abyss of Tartarus.  
**__**Yet thou must fly and grow not faint of heart.  
**__**They will track down thy steps from shore to shore,  
**__**Forever traveling the wide ways of earth  
**__**Past island cities, over distant seas, and nurse thy tribulation patiently  
**__**Until thou comest to the citadel  
**__**With a judgment of thy suit and gentle charms,  
**__**Of speech, we shall find out at last a way  
**__**From all these evils to deliver thee,  
**__**Being moved by me even to kill thy mother."  
**_—_**Eumenides**_

**Chapter One: Grow Not Faint of Heart**

"Move!" Connan shouted, shoving at Luke to get him through the door. "We have to get to Makrin Main!"

Apparently, Luke didn't need to be told twice. He kept a firm grip on his blaster and tore through the doors of the governor's palace of Makrin City.

Connan came out next, completely ignoring the shots flying past her head. The people firing at them weren't aiming well at _all_; she could sleepwalk through their assault and come out unharmed. She took a look around to judge the angle of the blaster fire and raised her hands up.

Six Stormtroopers rose into the air from various spots around them. Connan sighed and threw them all toward each other. They collided in the middle with a _smack_ and fell to the ground.

"Get going!" Connan barked, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear—it must have flown out of her ponytail when she'd been cornered between all those Stormtroopers before—and adjusting her robes.

Han walked out of the palace doors like he owned the place, dragging a spluttering Leia with him.

"Are you _insane_?" She asked as Han hauled her forward. "What are you doing, landing in Makrin Main? Why didn't you use the palace spaceport?"

"We would have loved to, really." Connan replied acidly. "But we didn't want to impose on Vader, or his ship."

Leia paled. "When did he get here?"

"About two minutes after _we _did." Han replied, ducking as another shot flew past his head. "You're lucky Connan and Luke could find you at all. We _told _you not to go off on your own like that."

Connan found the Stormtrooper shooting at them and Force Choked him before throwing him at a few troops just entering. She gave Leia a small smile. "Although I have to admit, it was very clever of you to hide within the city."

Leia brightened. "Really?"

"Of course. It was just bad luck that someone ratted you out. It could have happened to anyone." Connan stormed over to the door Luke had just pelted through—the blast door that was now completely shut. She looked at Han and grinned. "Back up."

Both Han and Leia were yards away instantly. Connan faced the blast doors and concentrated.

She held her fists together and to her right. She focused all of her energy into her hands and held it. The air around her began wavering, and she threw her arms as hard as she could and shoved the Force away from her.

The blast door crumbled like it had been made of plywood.

"Show off." Han grumbled, walking through the doorway. "Come on, we're going to fall too far behind."

"And Vader is catching up." Connan reminded.

Han sighed. "That too."

**XXXXX**

By the time they were a block away from Makrin Main, the number of Stormtroopers had multiplied. Connan and Luke were running back and forth, picking them off.

"Carth," Han barked into his comm. link. "You and Chewie get the ship ready."

"_It's about time." _Came the reply.

They passed through a huge doorway before entering the spaceport. Connan studied the frame of the passage. She looked toward the beams attached to the door. They were massive, and they stretched horizontally to connect with each other as well as the rest of the hangar.

She turned and nodded to Luke. "Get inside the ship."

Han and Leia made it to the _Millennium Falcon _first. Han handed Leia off to Mission and sprang toward the turrets. Connan and Luke dove on board and stayed on the ramp, keeping balance as Carth turned the ship on and prepared to leave.

"Ready… now!" Connan shouted.

The two beams crackled and busted, ripping off from the doorway and groaning as the first one fell. The second one came later, but only because she'd been busy bending it. When her beam fell, she used the Force to wrap it around one side of the door and the other, so it wouldn't be moved very easily at all.

Carth closed the ramp and the two tumbled to the ground. Connan felt the tell-tale jerk meaning the jump to hyperspace and tried her best not to heave.

"_Hah!" _Her mind screamed. _"Take _that_, Ani!"_

What a week. Leia had offered to go to Shelkonwa on her own when the others in their Renegade group had been asked to take a side-mission and look into the pirates that had been stealing from the Rebel Alliance, and had left before they could discuss it much more. After Han and Carth talked Connan out of trying to go after her, they proceeded to head toward the pirating problem.

That in itself had been a strange case to deal with. In the six months Connan, Carth, and Mission had been stranded in the future so far, they had not seen _anything _like an AWOL Stormtrooper.

After dealing with the AWOL group (and going through a bizarre adventure where they formed a small truce, so neither side would tell on the other), Connan felt it.

Leia was in danger.

It hadn't taken any time at all to get the others to start looking through Makrin for her. No one questioned Connan about what was happening to people. She seemed to have a connection—especially to Luke and Leia—and always knew when something was happening.

As soon as they had landed they'd formed two groups of three; Han, Luke, and Connan to go bust Leia out, and Carth, Mission, and Chewbacca who would guard the ship and get it ready for immediate departure.

Their plan had worked splendidly. Even in the middle, when Connan suddenly felt the need to rush their rescue as she felt Vader's presence rise up in her mind, they hadn't encountered him. They'd gotten away without catching a glimpse of the Sith Lord.

Connan was pretty ecstatic.

She was _also _still on the ground. Connan pulled herself up and turned to offer Luke a hand.

As she pulled the boy up he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her tightly.

"How did you _do _that?" He asked, amazed.

Connan laughed. "Oh, Luke. You can do it, too."

Luke frowned. "No, I can't. I can barely sense where enemies are."

Connan shook her head and clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll work on that."

The two strode into the main hold, where Carth was already perched, waiting for her. When he saw her, he was by her side in an instant, holding her tightly and breathing onto her neck.

"You're okay." He whispered, more to himself than to her.

Connan grinned. "Six months and going strong."

Han came in to the main hold and took a seat, followed by Chewbacca and C3PO, who began setting up a dejarik board. The last two droids, R2-D2 and R7-B3, came in after, quietly beeping toward each other.

Mission came in, pulling Leia with her, and sat down on the couch, strategically placing herself so that Leia would be forced to sit next to Han.

Leia glared daggers at Mission and took the seat, not looking at Han and scowling at a floor tile in front of her.

"We should go back to Yavin IV." Han stated. "They're anxious to hear from us."

"I agree." Connan replied. "But we will have to take a longer route."

"What for?" Luke asked.

"There weren't many TIE fighters or Star Destroyers after us when we left Shelkonwa, which means that either they were unprepared for us, or they are lined up along our known routes to lie in wait for us." Carth answered.

"We're going to have to take a strange route to get there, so we avoid any Imperial fleets in our way."

Leia frowned in thought. "I agree."

"So it's settled." Han said. "I'll zigzag us through the galaxy, and it'll take us a week to get to where we need to go, instead of the two days it usually takes."

Connan shrugged. "It gives me time to teach Luke how to pick things up."

**XXXXX**

In a final fit of rage (which wasn't very rare these days, he'd been angry and maddened with rage for almost twenty years, now) Vader lifted both of his hands and blasted the beam. It bent one way, but the other side of it was wrapped around the other side of the doorway, and wouldn't budge.

Vader felt like screaming. How _dare _they try to outsmart him? How _dare _they get away with it?

How _dare _Connan do something that yet _again_ proved just exactly how strong she was? It would take him _hours _to open this damn door; hours of manipulation and concentration to bend the large pieces of steel so that they were no longer blocking his way.

From the back of his mind, in a place he had once hoped was long forgotten, in the back parts of his subconscious where he still referred to himself as _Anakin Skywalker_, something very familiar tugged into his mind.

"_Take _that_, Ani!"_

Vader shook his head. Even when he was Anakin, he could never hear Connan's voice in his head, and he had never ventured to check that he could, especially since the rather violent way she ended their bond. He hadn't been able to feel a thing from her.

_Hmm_, he thought. _Maybe things are changing._

**XXXXX**

"I just don't _understand _it." Luke whined as he opened his eyes and flopped onto his back.

Connan sighed, trying not to roll her eyes. She lounged on the couch in the main hold, wrapped in a blanket that Han had been nice enough to bring her. She was propped up with her arm leaning on the armrest, and on the other side of this armrest there sat a stationary R7, who looked like he would start laughing at any moment.

Leia sat on the other side of the couch, reading a small datapad that updated her on the current status of things in the Rebellion. Mission bustled in and out of the main hold, going on expeditions for things she was convinced Connan needed: some food, another blanket, something to occupy her temper so she didn't try to Force Choke anyone.

In the middle sat Carth, who occasionally grabbed at Connan's hand and squeezed it, so she wouldn't do something mean to the poor boy.

"What don't you understand?" Connan asked.

"I can understand being able to see with my eyes closed." Luke stated. Good, Connan wouldn't have to go over Force Sight, again. "But I just don't get how I can make things float with my mind."

This time Connan did sigh. "Let's use an unorthodox way, then." She murmured, shifting her position to lean on Carth. He instinctively wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. "Sit up. Face the lightsaber." She waited until he did so. "Now close your eyes."

Luke glared. "If I can't do it while _looking _at it, I'm not going to be able to do it while _not _looking at it."

Connan shrugged. "So you say. I think we've just got to work backwards. I think you understand theory more than practicality." _Like me, _she refrained from adding. "So. Close your eyes."

Luke groaned and did as he was told.

"Picture your lightsaber in your head. Describe it to me."

"It's just a lightsaber." Luke stated. "The hilt is black, the clasp that sheathes it and pulls it back is red, it's got a small guard on it to keep another blade from running into my hands…." He went on describing the little glitches and inconsistencies of it, and the inside circuitry and crystals.

"Now that you've got a good picture of it in your head, hold out your hand and feel like that very description is in your hand." Connan said.

Luke held his hand out and frowned. His lightsaber rose silently into the air and landed softly on Luke's palm. The surprised boy opened his eyes and gasped.

"I did it!" He called.

"You'll get to the point where you don't have to understand the whole object you're picking up. You don't even have to be able to see it, really. Once you learn how to sense where things are, you can learn how to bring them to you."

Leia gawked. "That is amazing," She admitted. "He actually did that himself?"

Connan nodded. "He did."

Mission hustled into the room and stopped by Connan, taking a moment to stick her tongue out at Leia (which was reciprocated by the Princess herself) and grin at the ecstatic Luke. "We just got word from Commander Jan Dadonna. Mon Mothma has been in contact and will be in Yavin IV within a month. She's bringing the ex-General Rahm Kota along with her."

Connan's ears perked up. "In a month? She sure likes taking her time, doesn't she?"

"She's just as busy as you are, Connan." Carth defended.

"Fine, fine." Connan waved it off. "I can wait."

**XXXXX**

As it turned out, Connan _had _to wait.

As soon as they got back to Yavin IV, Luke was called away again on another mission. He opted to go this one alone, as he often had before. Connan would make sure to keep an eye on him while was away, and make sure that nothing bad happened.

Other than that, though, Connan didn't do anything. She spent her days discussing tactics with Carth and the other commanders at Base One, if she did anything.

Carth made sure to always stay by her side. She seemed more irritable lately, though if it was because of the waiting spell they were going through, or if it was because she was tired of waking up in the middle of the night sick to her stomach, Carth didn't know.

Connan had started a bad habit of waking up at two or three in the morning and throwing up whatever it was she ate before she slept. At first Carth had been insanely worried and tried talking her into seeing a doctor. After her adamant refusal ("What was the point?" She'd asked, rubbing his shoulder consolingly. "They'd find a bug or something and the medicine they'd give would be totally ineffectual, because I can't get rid of it until we go home.") Carth had stopped with the nagging her to see a doctor and simply worried about her constantly.

What was worse was the fact that nothing she ate would quiet her stomach. And she tried many things. Once she asked for olives and pickles (which he knew for a fact that she detested) and ate enough for two cannoks. It hadn't worked; she'd still been sick when she woke up next. Another time she wanted lemons, nothing but lemons.

She was very bored for that month, Carth could tell. Some days she'd just stare off into space, her arms draped across her stomach, or her hands entwined with Carth's, or simply fidgeting with his hands, lost in thought. Whenever he asked what was on her mind she'd reply with a wistful "Nothing," and would change the subject to something else.

It sometimes annoyed him that she wouldn't speak her mind.

Not that Han didn't annoy him anymore. Oh, no, Han was still _way _up there on his list of people to dislike. He seemed fascinated with Connan, and was always following her somewhere to ask her more questions.

As much as he would have liked to believe Connan's "He Likes Leia" theory (especially since Carth had seen Leia give Han many glares over the last month), until he knew for sure _why _he was bothering Connan so much, he couldn't trust the man.

Which was why when he saw Han trailing after Connan one day, he followed. He stopped at the door after Han had already gone in and listened.

"I just want to know something that's been eating away at me for almost six months now." Han stated as he walked into the room. Connan looked up from the datapad she'd been skimming and cocked her head to the side.

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"It's been _six months_." Han clarified. "How come you're not… showing more?" He asked, trying to put it delicately. He flinched to himself.

Connan sighed gustily and put the datapad down. "I _knew _you were going to ask that." She said. "And it's a very long story."

"Can you paraphrase?" Han suggested. Then he asked, "Does it have to do with you being that lady you talked about before—about being Revan?"

Connan frowned. "How do you know about _that_?" He hadn't been in the room when Leia discussed it with them.

"I'm good at knowing things." Han simply said. He repeated his question.

"Sort of." Connan crossed her legs. "I suppose since you _do _know, it'll just seem confusing until I tell you. So you have to know that whatever it is I'm telling you is true, no matter what I say. Got it?"

Han nodded.

Connan took a deep breath. "There is a Dark Sided lifeform called the _Byssual_, and it has been sent multiple times to drag my friends and I into the future, where the Emperor can make me fall to the Dark Side and be used by him until either one of us dies."

Han stared. "This has happened before?"

"We made our fourth trip to the future six months ago." Connan frowned. "Well, _my _fourth trip. This is Carth's third, and Mission's first."

"And what does that have to do with—" He made a circular motion toward Connan, in the general direction of her stomach.

"Well, there's a matter of paradoxes that comes about when things like this happen." Connan started. "It wouldn't make sense for someone to have sustained an injury—a large gash to the side, say—prior to going into the future, and have it healed and gone by the time you get back. There would be contradictions, and everything would be messed up, and so on. That actually happened the last time we came," Connan remembered. "Jolee Bindo had a side wound for almost nine months because he got it right before we left, so for almost nine months it wouldn't close."

"And it's the same thing in your case?" Han guessed.

Connan huffed. "Three of us can't exactly get dragged into the future and four of us come back, right?"

Han shook his head. "No, I suppose not." He shrugged. "I guess that makes sense. In a strange, twisted kind of way."

Connan groaned. "You're telling _me_."

Mission ran in past Carth, giving the shocked man a smile before heading into the room.

"Connan!" She cried. "Mon Mothma is here. She brought Kota, just like she said she would."

Connan grinned. "Great. Let's go meet them."

**XXXXX**

Mon Mothma looked much like she had twenty years ago, never mind the added wrinkles and worry lines. When Connan came through the door—with Leia and Mission following behind her—she grinned and held her arms out.

Connan ran out and hugged her, just like a child.

"Senator Mothma!" She cried.

Mon Mothma laughed. "There's no need for the title anymore. Not since the Emperor dismantled the Senate. "I _am, _however, the Chief of State for the Rebellion." She grinned at Connan. "I've been waiting for a chance to talk to you myself. I'm sorry it took me so long to arrive; but I thought that my long-time friend Rahm Kota should be present."

Kota reached for Connan's hand and grasped it. "Charmed, milady." He said suavely, kissing her hand.

Kota was an old man, she could tell. He had stark-white hair, most of it pulled back into a high ponytail. His eyes stared straight forward and his posture remained slightly bent over and unsure, though Connan was positive that he was anything _but_.

"Now, where in this place may we talk privately?" Mon Mothma asked.

"Yeah. This way." Connan turned and led them down a corridor she knew would be deserted. Leia and Mission followed.

**XXXXX**

"This looks private enough." Connan stated, closing the door behind them. They were definitely in a deserted room. It was so old and unused that there was dust on the tables, and the desks were rickety and probably unstable.

"Now," Mon Mothma started, sitting down serenely on an old chair. "I was told you were in need of information."

Connan nodded. "I do." She replied. "I'd like to start heading out on my own, to start looking for Jedi, or at least for people who will help us."

"We have people already doing so." Mon Mothma explained.

"I'm talking about powerful people." Connan clarified. "Jedi, specifically. I already have one name that I'd like to head out and look for." _I hope he's still alive, _Connan thought. _It's hard to tell who is alive and who isn't after twenty years. _

"And you need our permission to do so?" Kota asked.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'd do it anyway." Connan grinned. "I would like to know if you have anyone in particular that you're looking for. Somewhat of a starting point."

"I'll send a list of names to you shortly." Mon Mothma stated. "So you can get started as soon as possible."

Connan nodded. "All right. I have a few questions about the Rebellion in general, if that's all right."

Mon Mothma glanced at Kota, who stared straight ahead, and looked back at Connan. "Very well."

"When did it start?"

"The Rebellion started deep into the Clone Wars, at the meeting you witnessed between a few of us who did not like the way things were going." Mon Mothma stated. "But we did not become so organized until two years ago."

Connan nodded. "So I haven't missed much. Who got the ball rolling?"

Kota cleared his throat. "Vader's own apprentice, my dear child."

Connan blinked. "Vader's—" She gawked. "Vader took on an _apprentice_? He can't _breathe _properly without asking his Master for permission, and he took on an _apprentice_?"

Leia giggled. "He wasn't bad."

"His story was long, and it wasn't happy." Kota explained. "But in the end he knew in his heart what was more important to him."

Connan frowned. "Who is this person?"

"We called him Starkiller." Kota continued. "I first met him above Nar Shadaa, when I could still see. He was sent out to kill me. He nearly succeeded. I fell to the planet below and lost my sight, and the Force."

Connan sympathized.

"He found me months later in a bar in Cloud City and talked me into joining him in making a rebellion against the Emperor." Kota kept talking. "Even toward the end, when he found out he'd been double crossed himself, and the rest of us were taken prisoner, he ventured to the Death Star to break us out. He gave his life to save us."

"Wait." Connan stopped him. "So he's dead?"

Leia nodded. "By the Emperor himself."

Connan shook her head. Well, _damn_. It would have been useful to have this boy around.

"The symbol for the alliance is his family's crest." Leia continued. "We chose it out of respect for him."

Connan shrugged and nodded her head. "Well, thank you for your time." She stated. "You've given me a lot to think about."

"If you have any more questions, feel free to ask." Kota invited. "We'll be here for some time."

As Mon Mothma and Kota left, Connan simply rubbed her forehead.

"Didn't go as you planned?" Leia asked.

"Of course it did." Connan replied. "I'm going to get a bunch of names of people that would be useful to the Rebellion."

"You look upset." Mission remarked.

"Something's not sitting right with me, I guess." Connan shrugged.

"_Of course it doesn't sit right," _Said an eerily familiar voice. _"It's wrong."_

Connan blinked and looked to the front of the room. She grinned at the familiar face in the front, floating a few inches off the ground.

"Hello, Kreia." Connan smiled.

Leia gawked. "What is _that_?" She asked.

"_I am a regenerative being at one with the Force. I've chosen to come back just now to make sure that the Dear One doesn't miss out on a chance to do something that will help this Rebellion she's undertaking." _Kreia answered.

Mission frowned. "Huh?"

Kreia rolled her eyes underneath her hood, completely put upon. _"I'm a dead person who will come back every now and again to make sure that my child is all right."_

Leia blinked. "That was blunt."

Connan grinned. "She's like that." She turned back to Kreia. "What did you want to tell me?"

"_Galen Marek isn't dead."_

Mission narrowed her eyes. "Who isn't dead?"

"_The one called Starkiller. He's not dead." _Kreia repeated.

Connan perked up. "Good."

"Wait." Leia spoke up. "How is that possible? My father saw him die."

"_You father was mistaken." _Kreia clarified. _"Starkiller is alive and well. He is living with his droid Proxy and the woman called Juno Eclipse."_

"Any idea where he might be?" Leia asked.

Kreia smirked. _"Of course I know where he is. But what would be the fun in telling you? You'll never learn how to find these things out on your own if I tell you where he is."_

Connan grinned, seeing Leia's abashed face and cutting off the argument before it was started. "Well, we have a starting spot. Thanks for the help, Kree. I'll talk to Carth and we'll head out within the week."

Leia stared at Connan. "I'm going, too." At Connan's questioning stare, Leia continued. "I've seen Starkiller before. He saved me from the Imperial Fleet, and saved my father twice before. If he's alive, I want to find him."

Connan nodded. "All right." She made sure she was out into the hallway before adding, "I'll see if Han will go."

Connan ran away, barely avoiding the shoe that was chunked at her and the uproarious laughter coming from Mission.

**XXXXX**

**So it took a while to update today. Sorry guys. It's been a tough day. Not as bad as last week, though. I'm in for a busy month, so if I don't update it's not for lack of trying.**

**There's not a lot to talk about this week. I haven't started on the DVD yet and probably won't for another two or three chapters, since I've got to make up for a three-year gap in between these movies.**

**See you when I see you!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	2. Redemption From Distress

"_**I mince such medicine against sleep failed; I sing,  
**__**Only to weep again the pity of this house  
**__**No longer, as once, administered in a grand way.  
**__**Now let there be again redemption from distress,  
**__**The flare burning from the blackness in good augury."  
**_—_**Agamemnon**_

**Chapter Two: Redemption from Distress**

Carth sat in the room he shared with Connan, on the head of the bed, leaning back against the wall. He simply stared.

He wanted to throw things, but that was childish; and it was more Connan's thing than his. He wanted to pull at his hair, or yell at something—some_one_—or hit something.

He could barely put words to his thoughts at the moment, let alone name what he knew was Connan's ailment now.

Of _course. _Why hadn't he figured it out before? He'd seen the signs before; he knew what to expect. He just never expected it to happen _now_, of all times.

He was angry that Connan never told him, and that she would rush headlong into the same dangers as before, not caring that she was endangering another. He didn't think that she was _that _bent on revenge.

I mean, how could she? Did she honestly think that he wouldn't find out? Maybe she thought she would get her fill of war in before he discovered and would start to restrict her movements. Maybe she thought she was doing the right thing, gallivanting through the galaxy, leaving herself open to harm, endangering more people than herself, endangering _helpless _people.

_Why _did she see fit to not tell him something like this? She willingly got into an X-Wing fighter and took on the Death Star, knowing that she was—was—

He couldn't even think it.

It was just that—that she _knew _what was going on and she _still _kept herself in danger. She was simply _ignoring _the others she was putting in danger and didn't seem to care anymore than usual about getting herself hurt.

It was like she was Revan all over again.

Carth's rapid thoughts stopped there, and he shifted his position on the bed, lying down with his feet at the head and his head at the feet.

Now, that hadn't been too fair of him. Connan might have been many things, but she had never been thoughtless to other people's safety. Especially children. When they'd discovered Sasha when they landed on Kashyyyk, she spent hours in the cargo hold with the girl, learning her language and making conversation, making the girl feel at home. She'd been nearly in tears when they made their way back to Dantooine to give her back to her parents.

Maybe he was being too irrational. Maybe he wasn't looking at this like he should be. Connan hadn't _really _been looking for fights lately, and had in fact been staying out of most confrontations they found themselves in. She'd involved herself intimately in rescuing Leia from Makrin because—well, it was Leia, and Connan wasn't about to let Luke _or _Leia get hurt while she was there.

So Carth took a deep breath, and stopped thinking about it like _he _thinks through things, and started going through the problem through _Connan's _position.

So far, Connan hadn't _actually _done anything stupid, or rushed into an impossible situation just to prove it wasn't impossible. She was making sensible decisions. If she didn't have to take the risk, she wouldn't take it.

And now that he thought about it, if she ever got into situations where being hurt was a probability, she would get angry and blast her way out of the danger.

She was, in her own strange way, taking care of herself.

Carth sighed and shook his head. Connan's way of "taking care of herself" consisted of not doing the insane things she does on a daily basis, and instead only doing them when they needed to be done.

But she hadn't been alone, if Carth had overheard correctly. It seemed that Han also knew of her condition. Who else knew? More than likely Mission was aware of it; not a day went by that she didn't ask the usual questions: are you hungry? are you all right? are you cold?

So she wasn't alone. That was a good thing. She had other people taking care of her.

Why hadn't she told Carth? Maybe she—

The door opened and Connan bounced through, flicking a finger at the lights and turning them on as she skipped over to Carth.

"Mon Mothma came, and she brought a man named Kota with her. They're going to give us information about suspected Jedi that survived Order 66, and we're going to go look for them." She sat down next to Carth's head and draped an arm over his chest. "And it turns out that the man who started this Rebellion—someone named Starkiller—is still alive even though people think he's dead, so we're going to be looking for him, too." She looked down at Carth and frowned at him. "You know it's much more comfortable with your head on the pillows."

Carth sighed, taking her hand off of his chest and tracing the fingers. "I know." He replied.

"What's wrong, Carth?" Connan asked.

"Nothing," Carth replied, massaging over a rough patch on Connan's calloused fingers.

Connan rolled her eyes. "Even if I _couldn't _feel your thoughts racing all over the place, your mouth is set." To accentuate this she kissed him lightly. "Clearly a sign that you're thinking about something unpleasant."

Carth smiled a little bit, making Connan gin. "Come on, Mr. Tough Guy. What's bothering you?"

Carth sat up and wrapped an arm around Connan, settling her head onto his chest. He held her tight for a moment and took in a deep breath.

"Is there something you want to tell me, Connan?" He asked. "Something I should know about?"

Connan didn't tense, but she sat up and stared at Carth. "Tell you?"

"Yes, Connan."

Connan sighed, leaning her head onto Carth's shoulder and wrapping her arms around him. "I'm assuming you're asking because you already know."

Carth nodded, returning her embrace tightly. "I overheard you talking to Han about it."

Connan shuddered. "I was meaning to tell you, you know." She whispered. "Especially after the Battle of Vactooine. When 12-4C-41's army nearly killed us all, I decided I needed to stop lying to you." She took a deep breath. "Carth, I'm pregnant."

He knew that already, based on the conversation he'd overheard earlier, but hearing her say it was a different matter altogether.

Connan continued before Carth could figure out what to say. "Jolee told me about two weeks before we came here." When Carth did say anything, Connan continued. "You have no idea how torn I was, Carth. I don't like putting anyone's safety at risk, especially someone who can't defend himself, but we can't control when we get dragged here, and frankly I'd rather have come back now than seven or eight months from now."

Carth chuckled and shook his head. "That's true."

"You're not mad, are you?"

"That you knew about this and chose to fight anyway? No. If you'd have come in about ten minutes earlier, though, I would have." He pressed his lips to Connan's hair. "Look, I realize that we're in a tight spot right now, and Palpatine is going to be scouring the galaxy for you, so you're going to be fighting anyway. I've also noticed the way that you've been handling things in a safe manner, and you're not trying to do things to prove you can do them.

"Am I mad that you didn't tell me about this the moment you heard about it? Of course I am." Carth continued. "I've been worrying about you for _six months_, Connan. I didn't know what was going on. I mean, _damn it, _Connan, I've been jealous of Han and I've been watching him for six months because I thought he was going to try something on you, and I couldn't stand that. For a while I was upset because I thought you were actually very sick and no one wanted to tell me."

"Carth, I thought you would try to forbid me to fight period, when that's clearly impossible, and I didn't want you constantly worrying about me."

"Which I ended up doing anyway." Carth replied. He shook his head and sighed. "We keep joking about it, but we _really _have to get you cured of saving other people from trouble."

Connan chuckled. "If we make it through this, I'll talk about whatever you want to talk about." She hugged him tightly to her. "I love you, Carth. I've never done something like this before, and I'm a little freaked about it. I don't enjoy putting others in danger, but I'm definitely forced to, now."

"Then you should have let me help." Carth answered. "It's true that I wasn't there too much for Morgana's pregnancy with Dustil, but I want to be there for you. Forever. Always."

Connan looked away and bit her lip, turning red as she tried not to burst into tears.

"Good." She replied, her voice shaking. "Because I _really _need help. All these mood swings and bursts of power and food cravings and morning sickness—which is a _lie_, because there are plenty times when it's _not _morning and I'm sick—are driving me _insane_." Connan stood and wiped at her eyes angrily. "You think this is easy? This stage was supposed to last for _three months, _damn it, and here we are, six months later, and this is still happening. I read that pregnancies were supposed to be fun. This is _anything _but fun! The longest human pregnancy ever recorded comes from _me _because a psychotic emperor is on my case four thousand years in the future, and I'm _stuck like this _until we can fix it!"

Carth laughed and opened his arms. Connan fell onto the bed next to him, welcoming his embrace.

"I'm hungry." Connan whined.

Gods, he loved this woman. Carth kissed her soundly on the lips before replying. "Let's go get some food. You can tell me the details of our new mission then."

**XXXXX**

Carth entered the room, luckily finding only Han, Chewbacca, and Mission inside. Chewbacca and Mission were playing a game of dejarik, which Mission was failing miserably at.

"Hey, Carth." Mission said absently. "Where's Connan?"

"She went to see General Kota about the Jedi names." Carth replied.

"What's wrong?" Mission asked, looking up at Carth and seeing him half-glare. "You look like someone switched your Tarisian Ale with Twi'Lek Liquor."

"Connan just told me." Carth stated. "How long have you known?"

Mission froze. She stared at Carth quizzically before answering. "I was with her when Jolee told her. She really freaked out. I've never seen her as upset before, except for our escape from the _Leviathan_."

"I know." Carth said.

"You heard us talking, didn't you?" Han guessed. He sighed when Carth nodded. "I thought so."

"Well, Mission, and Han too, I suppose, I just wanted to thank you for looking after her." Carth scratched the back of his head. "Since I wasn't able to."

Mission looked at Carth like he wasn't himself. "I thought you'd be angrier."

Carth groaned. "I was. I talked myself out of it."

"So you didn't yell at Connan?"

"No." Carth smirked. "She yelled at _me_, though."

Han laughed. "No kidding. That's hilarious."

Carth chuckled a few times under his breath. "That's all I wanted. I should go check on Connan."

As Carth left, Mission and Han stared at each other.

"See?" Han said. "I _told _you he wouldn't be angry."

"It still was too risky." Mission stated, grinning. She turned to the dejarik board and made a move. "How did you know he'd follow you?"

"Are you kidding?" Han snorted. "He's been watching me around her for six months. He couldn't resist it."

**XXXXX**

Connan entered the bar, with Han at one shoulder and Carth at the other. She looked around thoughtfully.

"You see him?" Han asked.

"Nope." Connan replied.

Carth groaned. "So what now?"

"By now, Mission and Leia should have scouted their spots out and are watching for Stormtroopers." Connan answered. "So, we do this." Connan pushed her way forward and sat at the bar.

Carth sighed, glancing at Han. "She always starts with the bar."

"I'll have ale." Han ordered as he sat down next to Connan.

"The same." Carth nodded to the bartender.

"You know what really drives me crazy?" Connan asked. "I come here to Poderis to take a spin on the Podeki Run, and what happens when I get here?" She slapped the table. "My speeder breaks. Not that I can find a suitable replacement; my speeder is one of a kind, but do you think I can find someone to at least _try _to fix this thing on this planet? No. I'm going to have to turn around and fly us back to Dantooine where we came from to get it fixed."

Carth groaned. "We're going _back_?" He asked. "It took us ten days to get here!"

"Not my fault." Connan replied. "Blame Mr. Everything-I-Touch-Is-Automatically-Made-Better over here."

"Oh, don't you blame this on me, cookie." Han stabbed. "_You _said the repulsorlifts weren't working, so _I_ went and fixed them."

"No." Connan replied, wagging her finger in front of his face. "_I _said the _only thing _on the speeder that worked was the repulsorlift! Or did you not see it _hovering in the air_?" She slapped the back of his head.

"Look, missy," The bartender stated, turning his blood-red eyes to Connan. Honestly, Connan wouldn't tell if he was human or not. "If you need to fix your speeder, Mr. Proko is the one you should talk to."

Connan smirked. "Mr. Proko?" She repeated.

"Yes, ma'am." The bartender answered. "The man over there." He pointed to the corner of the bar. "He's been here, oh, about twenty or so years. Fixes speeders like they're nothing."

"Well, thank you, kind sir." Connan slid him a few credits and leapt off her chair.

Qid Proko sat in the back of the bar, sipping at something yellow and cloudy. He didn't look up at Connan as she took a seat on the opposite side of his table.

"We've been looking for you." Connan stated.

"So I've heard." Proko replied, taking another drink and running a hand through his long, gray hair. "You picked up Vima-Da-Boda about two months ago, didn't you? And Ikrit before that."

"You hear a lot." Connan grinned. "So you know what I want."

Proko looked up and met Connan's eye. "Miss Jedi, I knew what you wanted before _you _did." He shook his head and sighed. "And you know why I'm going to refuse."

"Of course I do." Connan answered softly, patting his hand. "You don't want to die. You'd rather sit here all day, doing a second-hand job fixing speeders, talking about the old days when this and that happened."

"And I suppose you want to bring the old days back?" Proko asked, rolling his eyes.

"Of course not." Connan laughed. "I wouldn't want to bring that kind of ignorance back into the galaxy. What I want is a more informed galaxy that works together to make laws and peace to best get along with each other. For that, we'll need to get rid of whatever kind of government this is now." She shrugged. "For that, we need Jedi."

"And you want me?" Proko laughed. "I haven't picked up my lightsaber in years."

"But you still remember. You know what to do." She grinned. "You can search for others with these powers."

Proko paused. "There'd be no battles?"

Connan snorted. "Of course not. I wouldn't force you into battle unless you volunteered." She pulled out a datapad. "I do, however, have a bunch of names of Jedi who haven't been accounted for as either dead or alive. Knowing they were either would be a load off of my shoulders."

Proko sighed and took the datapad. "I suppose I could look into one or two of these for you." He flipped on the datapad and skimmed the names. "By the way, how did you find me?"

Connan shrugged. "I hear a lot more than you do."

**XXXXX**

"General Kota!" Connan smiled. "Nice to hear from you. How have you been?"

"_I've been better, to tell you the truth." _Kota scratched his head on the screen. _"Mon Mothma seems to want me constantly by her side. I'd rather be out doing something." _Then he smiled. _"Much like you are. Wow, Connan, I must say I'm impressed. You've gathered up twenty Jedi in a year."_

Connan grinned. "We've been busy." She ran a hand through her hair. "Did you get the stuff I asked for?"

Kota nodded. _"Yes. I'm sending it to you now." _He frowned. _"Why are you asking for a list of Dark Sided Outer Rim planets?"_

Connan shrugged. "Just a hunch. I was thinking yesterday about good places for people to hide, and I remembered that during the Jedi Civil War, Jedi started hiding on Dark Sided planets as well as well-populated planets."

Kota nodded. _"That sounds plausible. It's been fully uploaded."_

"Thanks."

"_Is that all you needed me for?"_

"Well, yes, actually. But are you going to be near Hoth anytime soon?"

"_I'm supposed to assist Mon Mothma in moving the troops there."_

"That's where we're stationed for the moment." Connan replied. "Luke crash-landed here so we came and helped. Since Mon Mothma and the Commander have decided that this is the new headquarters, we're holding down the fort. When you show up next, we should talk face-to-face."

"_I'd like that. We'll be there in about a week. I assume you have more questions."_

"I always have questions." Connan waved. "Until next time!"

"_Good bye."_

Connan shut off the monitor and took the datapad, newly ejected from the console. She skimmed the contents.

Well, she had her work cut out for her. There were over two hundred planets on this datapad, and each one would have to be researched singularly before any judgments could be made.

"Why didn't you tell him we're looking for Starkiller?" Carth asked from behind her.

"I don't want to get his hopes up." Connan replied, shivering and rubbing her shoulders. "If we end up not finding him."

"You're cold." Carth changed the subject, reaching for a blanket and wrapping it around her shoulders. "You should put something else on."

Connan shook her head. "I'm fine. It's a cold planet. Being cold is inevitable."

Carth sighed, annoyed. "Look, you've been doing a great job of taking care of yourself. I haven't had to nag you much at all. Don't make me start now."

Connan cocked an eyebrow at him, a smirk tugging at her. "What if I miss the nagging?"

Carth smiled, tugging Connan close. "If you want me to pester you, you should just ask."

Connan spluttered. "What's the subtlety in that?"

"Connan, I'm a man. I don't do subtle."

"Oh, but you _do _do other things." Connan asked, grinned as Carth kissed her nose.

"I certainly can." He retorted, pulling her out the door and toward their temporary room.

**XXXXX**

It took her six weeks. Six weeks of pouring over that datapad, finding a planet and investigating it as closely as she could. Each possibility had been shot down. Either it wasn't inhabitable, or it wasn't Dark Side enough, or it wasn't very populated, or it just didn't feel right.

Connan had gone through each and every name on the datapad, from Aurek to the middle of Leth, and finally landed on a name that sent her hackles straight into the air.

_Yes, _the voice inside her head yelled at her. _He's there!_

She didn't even need to research it. Connan saw the name of the planet on the screen and swore. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Everything _else _in the galaxy had been a coincidence for her, why shouldn't this be, too?

Connan stood and walked into the main hold. She and Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca, Mission and Carth had been on their way in search of more Jedi. They were in a bit of a lull at the moment because Connan had stopped everything so she could thoroughly look into each and every planet.

"I know where he is." Connan stated. Carth looked up at her from his game of pazaak with Mission and they both stared at her.

"Are you sure?" Han asked.

"Of course I'm sure." Connan replied. "There's no where else he could be. I don't know why I didn't think of it before."

Mission smirked. "Is it somewhere we've been before?"

"Oh, yeah." Connan plopped down on the couch next to Leia. "We've been there before."

"How long will it take us to get there?" Leia asked.

"It'll take us about three days to get there from here." Connan thought.

"Where are we even going?" Han asked.

Connan sighed. "We're going to Lehon."

**XXXXX**

**I'm sorry it took so long to get this out. Wookiepedia went down for a while and I couldn't get any information off of it, so I was stuck for a while last week.**

**I hope I'm doing the timeline well enough. I've got a few more things to do before I actually get into the movie, but I'm working on it. If I'm lucky, I'll be in the movie by chapter four or five. **

**It's Spring Break this week, and hopefully it'll be better than last year's. I'll be camping for the first half and Wednesday through next Sunday I'll be hanging out with friends.**

**I saw He's Just Not That Into You last night. Who else thought it was an awesome movie? **

**So good luck guys and I'll see you next week.**

_**Amme Moto**_


	3. Dawn Child

"_**As it is said of old, may the dawn child be born  
**__**To be an angel of blessing from the kindly night.  
**__**You shall know joy beyond all you ever hoped to hear."**_

—_**Agamemnon**_

**Chapter Three: Dawn Child**

"Lehon?" Han asked for the fiftieth time. "I've never heard of it."

"It's called a lot of things: Lehon, Rakatan, Rakata Prime…. When we crashed on it, we just called it the Unknown World." Connan replied.

"It's unbelievable," Carth muttered. The water-blue planet became bigger and bigger on the screen in front of them. "Life is one big irony, isn't it?"

Connan rolled her eyes. "I didn't like this planet the _first _time. All the insane Rakata and their sending us back and forth. And the _rancors_. Sheesh, there were so many rancors we almost didn't survive."

"Rancors?" Luke gawked. "Are we sure this is a good idea?"

"Don't listen to her." Mission waved Luke's worries away. "For all we know the rancors all killed each other."

"Don't be so sure." Luke shook his head. "Rancors live a long time."

Connan snorted and shrugged. "From what I read, the _Rakata_ aren't even around anymore. A few of them went off planet so seek their fortunes in the galaxy, and based on the language spoken by the indigenous people from our fun little execution on Geonosis—you remember that, Carth?—I'd say that's where they landed. The others kept inbreeding with each other and died out."

"Look, so long as I can find a nice place to land, I don't care what's here."

"You're not going to find a spaceport, Han." Carth remarked. "You're going to have to land in the sand."

Chewbacca growled.

"I know, it's not the most convenient thing, but we're not actually on an inhabited planet." Connan replied.

"There!" Leia shoved past Han, irritating him, as she pointed to the screen. "That looks like a good spot."

Han sighed. "So it is. Chewie, put us down right there."

**XXXXX**

Connan and Carth stood side by side as Mission came off and joined them.

"Sand and trees." Mission quipped. "Same as always."

"I wonder if the temple is still up." Connan remarked.

"We've got plenty of time to find out." Carth chuckled. "This place hasn't changed a bit."

"So where should we start looking?" Leia asked as she stepped off the ramp next to Mission.

"Well unless the Elders decided to fix up The One's temple, there's no use going there." Connan snickered. "We pretty much demolished that. Our best bets would be to look around the Ancient Temple, or in the Elder Temple."

"Could he be on one of the other islands we saw passing?" Luke asked, wandering over to a nearby tree and feeling the leaves.

"No," Carth answered. "Those small islands aren't stable enough to hold people for long periods of time."

"And chances are he already knows we're here." Connan added. "So there's no reason to look _hard_. Sooner or later he'll come to us."

**XXXXX**

Hours later, when Connan had changed into her more comfortable Revan Robes (She saw no point in wearing them on the ship, where they would be next to useless) and they'd set up a small camp outside the ship, Luke sat next to Connan and studied her.

"So when were you even _on _this planet?" He asked.

Connan sighed, using the Force to pull off a leaf from a nearby tree and float it toward her. She began plucking sections of it off aimlessly. "I've been here twice. Once when I was twenty-four, and once when I was twenty-eight."

"For what?" Luke inquired, leaning closer to Connan.

Connan pointed up toward the sky. "Up there, there used to be a large battle station called the Star Forge. Once I came here to gain access to the Star Forge, so I could use it as a weapons manufactory. The second time, I came to gain access to the Star Forge so I could destroy it."

"Was I alive during this time?" Luke asked.

Connan snorted. "Not a chance. This was _way _before you were born."

Luke was silent for a moment. "Did you know _Ben _during this time?"

Again Connan chuckled. "Definitely not. Obi Wan _used _to be younger than me, you know."

"I—What—" Luke must have decided he wasn't going to get an answer. He changed the subject. "Why are you so involved with the Rebellion?"

"Carth and I were there, the day the Republic turned into the Galactic Empire." Connan stated. "I watched a Darth Vader turned his saber on his friends. I watched him turn his saber on _me_." She wasn't doing a very good job at keeping the malice out of her voice. "The Emperor took something from all of us that day." She fell over onto her back, into the warm sand. "And I plan on taking it back."

"What did he take?" Luke asked.

"He took a boy, in his early twenties, and turned him into Vader." Connan replied. "And I'll kill him for it."

Again Luke was silent, but only for a moment. "Why is Vader so adamant about finding me?"

Connan shifted a bit, trying to conceal her nerves. "For many reasons. Probably because he realizes who you are. Probably because he knows I'll hunt him down if he ever does actually catch you."

"Connan! Luke!" Mission called from inside the ship. "It's time to eat!"

"Who does he think I am?" Luke asked quickly.

Connan stood and held a hand down to Luke for him to grab onto. "You're Luke Skywalker." Connan poked him in the chest. "That's all he needs to know."

**XXXXX**

"It's been four days, Connan, and we still haven't found him." Leia murmured as Han came and sat down next to her. "Are you sure he's even here?"

"He's here." Connan replied, sitting back against a tree. "Don't worry about that."

Then Connan was knocked off her feet and thrown backward.

**XXXXX**

Carth saw a shadow across his peripheral vision, and turned to find it just as it collided with Connan and brought her down a good ten feet from where she'd been standing.

His blaster was in his hand before he realized how angry he was.

A foot planted itself on her chest and she grunted, grasping the foot and using the Force to push upward. The assailant cried out as Connan flipped them both over.

Then Connan leapt up and gawked, summoning both sabers. Behind her, she heard the others pull out blasters and aim them at the man.

"What the _hell_?"

The assailant stood up and faced Connan. She swallowed. The man coughed and pulled out his own blue lightsaber. His broad shoulders squared as he stared at Connan.

"Obi Wan?" Connan called.

It _was. _Carth _swore _it was. It looked exactly like Obi Wan had at the beginning of the Clone Wars, with his shoulder-length hair and battle-stance. Carth was simply floored.

Carth decided to address the important issue first. "Connan, are you all—"

"I'm _fine_." Connan interrupted. "I want to know who _he _is."

"What's going on?" Han asked.

The man who looked like Obi Wan glowed brightly for a moment before shape-shifting into something completely different.

Connan stood in front of a Zabrak, now, glaring menacingly and snarling, licking his red-and-black painted lips.

She was standing in front of Darth Maul.

Connan gasped, backing up. "This thing isn't human."

It lunged.

Blaster shots were fired. The thing that looked like Darth Maul leapt out of reach and made a beeline for Connan. Connan whirled around to the side, leaving her foot out and tripping it. She twirled a saber through her hand and slammed it into the thing's chest.

There was a loud humming sound, and Darth Maul shimmered brightly before morphing into a machine and laying still.

Connan backed up, and she felt Carth moving forward, placing himself in front of her.

Behind them, someone clapped.

"Well done, Proxy,"

Connan whirled around to face this new foe. A man, a little taller than Luke, strode forward, his gray cloak billowing out to the sides. The frayed ends picked up the sand, making it float through the air before landing.

"Sorry about that," The man continued, striding forward, passing Leia and Mission as they stared wide-eyed at the sparking machine. "I had to make sure you were the real thing."

Connan frowned. "Why wouldn't I be real?" She asked.

The man shrugged. "No reason. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to get assassinated by a machine."

"Assassinated?" Carth repeated.

The man nodded. "I always knew Vader would find me sooner or later. I just always thought he'd come himself, and not send his new apprentice."

"So you must be Starkiller." Connan verified. As he nodded she burst into laughter. "Seriously? You had your machine attack _me _because you thought I was here to kill you? You thought that—I was—"

"Deep breaths, sweetheart." Han said from beside her.

Connan grinned and held her hand out for the man—Starkiller—to come up and shake. "Trust me, I'm a bit too old to be someone's apprentice."

Starkiller didn't look like he completely trusted that statement, but he came forward and shook Connan's hand.

"Well," He said. "You seem to know my name, but I've yet to learn yours."

"Connan Frai." Connan replied.

Something flickered in Starkiller's chocolate eyes, and he shifted his gaze to Carth. A smirk lit his features. "I take it you're Carth Onasi, then."

Connan ripped her hand back and stared. "How do you know that?"

Starkiller barked out a laugh, leaning against a nearby tree and seeming at ease. "I know all about you two. Sometimes Vader would talk about nothing _but _you two, for hours on end."

Connan cringed. "Nothing good, I suppose." She didn't wait for his nod. "It's getting hot. You want to come inside the ship so we can talk more?" She smirked. "Unless you don't trust us."

Starkiller shrugged. "Actually, it might be cooler over where I'm living." He looked behind Connan to his droid, still on the ground. "You can get up now, Proxy. There's not going to be a surprise attack."

The blue droid leapt up and brushed itself off. "Very well, Master." It said, walking past Connan and Carth like they weren't there. "Are we heading back to base now?"

Starkiller looked toward Connan. "Are we?"

"Sure." Connan shrugged.

"You're not going without me." Carth stated.

"I want to go!" Mission whined. She grabbed Leia's hand. "Leia does, too."

"Luke, Chewie and I will guard then ship, then." Han stated.

"Proxy," Starkiller turned to his droid. "Go tell Juno we're expecting six visitors."

**XXXXX**

Starkiller made his home in the Elder Rakata temple, like Connan had said he might. Instead of the electricity fence around it, however, there was now a large door. Starkiller opened the large wooden door and they entered.

"This is very creepy." Mission murmured.

"You're telling me." Connan bumped her friend's shoulder.

"Juno!" Starkiller shouted into the temple as he walked in and took his cloak off. "We're back!"

A tall woman walked into the room. Her long, blond hair was pinned up off of her neck. She stood very straight, making her even taller.

"I guess so." She replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Juno Eclipse."

"Connan Frai." Connan shook the woman's hand.

"No kidding." Juno gave a half-smile.

"We can start our little chat this way." Starkiller led the group into a miscellaneous room and sat down at a large table. The others joined him. "Now, how did you find me and why?"

"You were the one who started the Rebellion." Leia started before Connan could get a word in. "If you were alive we wanted to find you."

Starkiller frowned, staring closely at Leia. "Do I know you?"

Leia nodded. "Leia Organa. You rescued me on Kashyyyk."

Starkiller nodded as Juno came and sat down beside him. "Oh, yes. Your father is Bail Organa." He turned back to Connan. "All right, so you wanted to find me because I started the Rebellion."

"That's one reason." Connan replied. "I'm also curious. I want to know your story."

"Yours for mine."

Connan hesitated. "All right," She conceded. "That seems doable."

"We'll do that later." Starkiller insisted. "How did you find me?"

"There was a list of planets." Connan pulled the datapad out of her backpack. "I closed my eyes and picked one."

"Really?" Juno asked, taking the datapad and flipping through the names. "Is this how you do all of your investigations?"

Connan shrugged. "There _might _have been a bit of irony surrounding this planet."

"All right, so you found me." Starkiller leaned forward. "What is it you wanted from me?"

"For the past fourteen months we've been tracking down Jedi unaccounted for in Order 66." Connan started.

Starkiller barked out a laugh. "Not as easy as it sounds, is it?"

"I'd say not." Connan chuckled. "But that's also why we came to find you. When we learned that you might not be as dead as General Kota said you were, and we learned that backhanded version of your life story, we thought you might be able to help us."

"Why would you need help finding live Jedi?" Starkiller asked. "You found _me_, so you must be good at what you're doing."

"Yes, we're good at it, but we can't keep doing it." Carth replied. "There are other things that need to be done."

"Ah, so I'm a replacement." Starkiller guessed.

"Basically."

"Well," Starkiller stretched languidly. "That's certainly different from what I expected. At least you're not begging me to throw myself into the middle of the fight."

"I wouldn't expect you to." Connan replied. "Those who have been around Vader for long periods of time wouldn't want to just jump right back into the fight."

Starkiller's eyes glinted. "And yet you do."

Connan shrugged. "I have to."

There was silence for a moment before Starkiller stood up. "This has been very interesting. And you've given me a lot to think about." He cocked his head from side to side, and Connan could hear it crack. "However, we've based this conversation on the _word _that you're Connan Frai. I have no proof of that."

"Uh huh." Connan sighed, leaning onto Carth. "And how do you suppose we fix this?"

Starkiller grinned. "I remember Vader always talking about how powerful you are. And the Rancors have been getting a little… reproductive lately." He called his cloak to him and threw it around his shoulders. "What say we have a little test?"

**XXXXX**

**Sorry it took so long, guys. I got grounded again. I should be on schedule next week, depending on if I'm still grounded or not.**

**And yes, the title is a stretch, but I'm running out of quotes. I need to look up more of them.**

**Anyway, the next chapter will be fun. I had a lot of fun taking down rancors in the Force Unleashed game. I wanted Connan to have a little fun too.**

**So until next week! Hopefully.**

_**Amme Moto**_


	4. Wring Atonement

**_"The curse on great daring  
Shine as clear; it wrings atonement  
From those high hearts that drive to evil,  
From houses blossoming to pride  
And peril."_**

—_**Agamemnon**_

**Chapter Four: Wring Atonement**

"All right," Starkiller stated as he walked briskly through the sand. "It's simple. There's a pack of seven Rancors who keep reproducing." He shook his head and sighed. "I manage to kill the young ones, but Rancors know this world better than I do, and the larger ones always seem to get away."

Connan snorted. "Just like a Rancor to leave its children while it runs away."

"So what are you proposing, here?" Carth asked.

Starkiller grinned. "A race."

Carth blinked. "Pardon?"

They walked past the _Millennium Falcon _and Connan waved at Luke. He and Han leapt up from their spots and ran to join the group, Han yelling at Chewbacca to watch the ship.

"What's going on?" Han asked.

"Connan and Starkiller are going to have a race!" Mission replied.

"Against _Rancors_?" Leia asked. "Is this wise?"

"_Rancors?" _R7 repeated as he rolled up to them. _"You're going to fight _Rancors? _Are you out of your mind? Even if you weren't—"_

"I get it, R7." Connan interrupted. "I really, really do. But calm down. I know what I'm doing."

"_I sure hope so. Crazy lady."_

"Let's think about this." Han stated. "Rancors are big, Connan. Even the young ones are hard to take down."

"I know how to take down a Rancor, Han."

"I'm not surprised," He replied, gripping her arm as she followed after Starkiller and Juno, who were conversing quietly. "But in your present state, should you be taking this kind of chance?"

Luke frowned. "Present state?"

Connan winked at him. "Are you kidding? I've got energy to spare, and I won't make any completely and utterly idiotic moves, like I usually would." She turned to Carth. "You remember Manaan, when I took on the whole Sith Base by myself?"

Carth cringed. He remembered her being very pissed off as she left for that. That had been when he was still coming to terms with her being Revan, and she was in a constant state of self-loathing and needed something to take it out on. She'd obliterated the whole base by herself in less than two hours.

"I remember."

"It _won't _be like that."

"Killing random Rancors by yourself isn't as reckless as killing armed _Sith _by yourself?" Carth questioned.

Connan frowned. "When you make it sound like that, yes. Yes it does sound as reckless." She grinned. "But it won't be, because I know how to handle Rancors and it's only one—maybe two—at a time. They're too big to fight something small in groups."

"But Connan," Luke tried. "Rancors are _huge_. I've seen you do some pretty awesome stuff, but Rancors are living, thinking beings. It's different than just manipulating a support beam around a door or lifting a ship into the air."

"You think all I can do is lift things and toss them around?" She asked. "Then pay attention."

Han glanced at Carth and Mission. "Aren't you going to stop this?"

"We tried." Carth replied. "Argued with her all the way over here."

"There's no stopping me," Connan admitted. "I'm a force to be reckoned with."

Han laughed. "No kidding."

"Hey!" Starkiller called from in front of them. "We're getting close."

Connan ran to meet up with Starkiller and crouched behind a small patch of trees.

"There's a large open field just past these trees." Starkiller whispered. "On the other side are the seven Rancors. The one to kill the most wins."

"What do I get if I win?" Connan asked.

"Your name." Starkiller replied. "And my cooperation."

Connan grinned. "And on the slim chance that I lose?"

Starkiller smirked. "If you are who you say you are, you won't lose."

"Right."

They walked out into the clearing, which was in fact _very_ large, Connan looked around. The seven Rancors were spaced out throughout the field, giving a big enough space for each Rancor to act independently but still be in sight of the others in the group.

"Connan," Han tried again. "Please, just think about this. This is crazy. Lifting a blaster and knocking Stormtroopers into each other is one thing, but—"

"You're saying the exact same thing Luke said earlier." Connan observed. "I'll be fine. I promise."

Mission stepped forward. "I believe her." She started. "Connan's not stupid. She knows her limits, and she's not going to take any chance now that would truly endanger her."

"Thank you, Mish." Connan clapped Mission on the shoulder, earning a beam from the nineteen year old. Connan jerked her head to the right. "I'll take this side."

"Then I'll start to the left."

"Any rules I should know about?" Connan asked.

Starkiller shrugged. "Basically, we're just showing off. Make it flashy but fast."

Connan nodded. "I can do flashy." She reached inside her robes and pulled out her two lightsabers. "Are you ready?"

Starkiller pulled out his own saber and lit it. "Definitely."

"On your mark," Juno called. "Get set, go!"

**XXXXX**

Connan leapt forward and twisted in a circle, swinging her sabers out as far as they would go. She let them go and used the Force to grab them. She took off toward the first Rancor on the right and jumped, adding an extra Force Push to make her fly directly toward the first Rancor.

The Rancor turned and noticed her. It bared its claws and gave a roar, throwing its arm back and swiping it forward.

Connan landed on the Rancor's paw and flipped upward, spinning one of her floating lightsabers around to make a deep cut in the claw. The second saber came up with Connan as she rose past the Rancor's face and drove into its skull. For added effect, she sent a bolt of lightning down the Rancor's spine, and it toppled over. As it landed, Connan whirled around and sent her sabers slicing through the Rancor's neck.

Connan dropped and landed on the ground, catching her sabers in her hands. She turned and stared at the two remaining Rancors on her side. They both gave a mighty roar and charged at her.

Connan twisted her sabers around so they were parallel to her arms. She threw them into the air and stuck one in each Rancor. Then she leapt into the air and shot out a bolt of lightning, one from each hand.

From the pit of her stomach came a huge burst of extra energy, pumping toward her hands and out her fingers, channeled as more powerful lightning. The two Rancors shrieked, shuddering with convulsions.

Not wanting to seem too cruel, Connan let up on the lightning. As she dropped toward the ground she called her sabers back to her, tearing them from the Rancors' hides. She grasped them in her hands, and before the two Rancors could regain any mobility, she slashed through one of their necks.

That Rancor hit the ground as the other one shook its head roughly. It stared at her and roared.

Connan threw her sabers again, slashing them through the air, hacking at the Rancor, making small cuts into the thick skin. Then, she held her arms out to her sides, stopped to prepare her strength, and sent both sabers from opposite sides into the Rancor's neck, as hard as she could.

The Rancor's head snapped off and it fell to the ground without a cry.

Connan popped her neck, her two sabers circling around her threateningly as she looked around for Starkiller.

Starkiller stood atop his last Rancor, and jumped off as it landed on the ground and gave a death rattle.

Both Starkiller and Connan leapt for the last Rancor.

"You work fast," Connan remarked as they both jumped at the last Rancor.

"You, too." Starkiller admitted. "Tired yet?"

Connan snorted. "You wish." She landed on the Rancor's humped back and grabbed a hold of the Rancor's skin to keep balance. "Do you believe I'm who I say I am?"

This Rancor seemed smarter than the others. He rolled onto his back, forcing Connan and Starkiller to jump off to avoid being crushed.

Starkiller stood and brushed himself off. "Have you won yet?"

"Just you wait." Connan moved to pass Starkiller and make a beeline for the last Rancor, which was flailing on the ground, trying to regain its footing.

Starkiller stayed in her way. He smirked. "I didn't say you could just _have _that Rancor."

Connan's eyes narrowed. "Oh really? Then how do we resolve this?"

Starkiller's saber lashed out at Connan, and if she hadn't already anticipated this move, it might have actually hurt her. She parried with her own saber and slammed her shoulder into his. He stumbled backward a step. Connan took advantage and jumped over him.

Starkiller whirled around and was in front of her again. Connan huffed, slightly annoyed. "I see. It's going to be like _this_, is it?"

"I want to see what you've got." Starkiller replied.

The Rancor stood up and snarled furiously at the two. It lifted its huge foot and slammed it to the ground, hoping to stomp the two of them.

Connan whirled around the foot and over to Starkiller, who leapt backward. She tripped him and jumped upward onto the Rancor's back. She raised her saber and brought it down as hard as she could into the soft spot on the Rancor's neck.

Starkiller Force Pushed her backward and she would have fallen off if she hadn't grasped onto the Rancor's spiky skin. She pulled herself up and stared as Starkiller took up the same exact position she had previously been in.

Connan sheathed one of her sabers and threw the hilt at him. It nicked him in the head and bounced off toward the ground. Starkiller grunted and rubbed at his head, giving Connan the time to tackle him.

They landed on the Rancor's head. The Rancor reached its paw up and scratched frantically. Connan rolled out of the way and reached for her remaining lightsaber. As she was about to throw it into the Rancor's neck, another lightsaber parried.

Connan sighed, jumping upward and landing on the Rancor's back again. Starkiller followed and slammed his saber into hers.

Connan deflected the attack and rammed her shoulder into his again. He held his ground this time, refusing to move. Connan whirled around him so their backs were facing each other and she slid down the Rancor's shoulder, driving her saber into its neck as she fell.

She heard Starkiller swear and chuckled. As she hit the ground she looked up.

Starkiller had apparently taken her idea. He slipped down the other shoulder of the Rancor and slashed through the other half of its neck. As he landed, the Rancor stumbled around listlessly.

Feeling sorry for it, Connan lifted her second saber from the ground with her mind and threw it at the Rancor. It sliced through the rest of his head and dropped.

For a moment there was silence. Then: "So who won?" Connan heard Luke asked from far away.

Starkiller looked over to him. "Connan did, obviously." He turned around and shook her hand. "I must thank you for such entertainment. I never would have been able to do that without someone's help."

"Anytime." Connan replied. Carth was at her side a second later, a hand on her shoulder. She smiled at the gesture. "Does this mean you'll help us?"

Starkiller stretched, looking toward Juno for permission.

Juno shrugged. "So long as I get to go with you, what do I care?"

Starkiller grinned. "Then I guess I'm heading back to Hoth with you guys."

"_Great…." _R7-B3 grumbled. _"More crazy people on our ship."_

"It will take about one and a half weeks to get to Hoth from here." Han estimated. "And Chewie and I want to make some changes. So if we're going to go, let's head out tomorrow."

"Great!" Starkiller called. "That'll give us time to pack. Let's head back to the temple. Bring your other friends, too."

**XXXXX**

Actually, it took them three weeks to get back to Hoth, simply because they were spending so much time in other places. Connan located another ex-Jedi on their route back to the ice planet and insisted they stop so she could get him to rejoin.

Once they ran into a small Sith brigade and had to fight their way out. Then they had to stop at a neighboring planet so Connan, Han, and Chewbacca could fix the damage to the ship before they could take off again.

When they were about a day away from Hoth, Connan called ahead and made sure General Kota would be there. Starkiller was looking forward to meeting the old man again, and asked Connan not to tell Kota that he was coming.

And when they finally arrived, everyone launched off the ship as fast as possible. Mon Mothma and General Kota, who had come to meet them, laughed at the obvious case of cabin fever.

Connan scrunched her nose at them as she hugged Mon Mothma. "It's not funny! We've been on that ship for _forever_!"

"It's very funny." Kota replied. He frowned and stared up at the ship. "You brought more people with you? I can feel them."

"Yes." Connan answered. "I brought two new people with me. And believe me, it was _hell _trying to find them."

"Connan," Kota said, now suspicious. "I know who that is. There's no way—"

"There's no way _what_?" Starkiller asked as he walked off the ship.

Kota stiffened. "It's not possible."

Starkiller laughed, and Connan stepped aside to he and Kota could talk. Starkiller put his hand on Kota's shoulder and squeezed it that easily. "They can't kill me that easily."

Kota's face broke out into a huge smile and he embraced Starkiller tightly. "It _is _you! I thought you were dead! Why didn't you tell me?"

Starkiller shrugged. "I've been trying to stay under the radar for a while now. I'm not sure Vader would be very happy to know I'm still alive."

"So why did you come back now?" Kota asked.

"I'm going to take over Connan's job." Starkiller stated. "So the chances of me coming across Vader are slimmer."

"Ah. I see." Kota nodded. "And what is Connan going to do?"

"We're joining the war, of course." Connan answered. "Vader's done enough damage. He's specifically hunting the galaxy for Luke and I, and I'm kind of getting tired of running from him."

Luke's face lit up. "Really? You're going to help me?"

"Of course I will. I can't protect you if you keep going off on missions."

Mon Mothma smiled. "Wonderful. Let's get you to your rooms, and after you've rested a few days, we'll begin talking about your first mission."

Connan smiled as Carth led her away. "Good. If I spend one more day on that ship I'm going to scream."

**XXXXX**

**So it didn't work out too well. I got regrounded. For a really long time.**

**The good new is: that was the bad news.**

**The better new is: since I was grounded, I could get on imsdb dot com at school and use the script on the internet there, so I have a lot of chapters written on paper, just not typed. So really, I shouldn't miss another Sunday for a while.**

**And really, I'll **_**finally **_**be starting on the movie at the end of the next chapter. I'm trying to rush through the years between four and five so it doesn't seem like they're not doing anything, but I don't want to create a whole story full of the in between years.**

**So school's out, too, and I'm officially a SENIOR!!!! ((does dance)) It's incredible! And I have no required reading this year, too, so that's just awesome. I'm going to work really hard on updating every week from now on since I'm not grounded anymore, so check back frequently!!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	5. Year by Year

"_**Misery, most familiar,  
**__**Accumulating year by year  
**__**Stubbornly, on my life."  
**_—_**Electra**_

**Chapter Five: Year by Year**

"Jeez," Luke shook his head and looked around. "If there were two suns, I'd _swear _I was back home on Tatooine!"

Connan sighed. It was true. Aridus was as much a desert planet as Tatooine. She wouldn't be surprised to see Jawas try to rifle through her things, or even see the occasional Sand Person.

"We have to get to the Iron Tower." Luke stated. He turned back to the team of five following them. "And find on what went down there."

"Does it matter?" Connan asked. "The Iron Tower is destroyed; the Empire can't use it anymore to keep the environment from hurting their mining equipment. Shouldn't that be a good thing?"

Leia tossed Connan the datapad with the information about the mission on it. Connan caught it and began flipping through it. Mission stood on her toes and read over Connan's shoulder.

"It says that Obi Wan Kenobi is the one who destroyed the Iron Tower. Not only that, but he used a single weapon to do it." Leia clarified. "_That's _what we're investigating. We're supposed to find the weapon."

Connan's hackles rose. "Surely you realize that this is a trap?" She asked. "Obi Wan is _dead, _Luke. Trust me on that."

"I know, I know," Luke answered. "But the mission was handed to us from someone higher than us. Besides," He grinned. "I'm curious to see who this fake Obi Wan is."

"If you're sure, Commander, sir." Mission saluted. "Remember to be prepared for anything."

"Of course." Luke turned to his team of five once more. "Let's move out!"

By nightfall there had been no sign of the Iron Tower and Luke decided to call it a night. Connan and Mission sat by the fire, warming themselves up and speaking to Carth via comm. link to reassure him that they were fine. He and Han had been assigned to stay behind on Hoth, along with their droids. Carth hadn't been happy at all about leaving Connan behind, but she insisted that needed the rest and promised that this would be the only time she'd wander off by herself. When Mission stepped up and promised to look after Connan, Carth felt slightly better, but only when they promised to call him every night or when something went wrong.

Luke and Leia finished setting up their tents and came to sit next to Mission and Connan.

"The men don't like this planet." Luke stated. "It makes them uneasy."

"It makes everyone uneasy." Mission replied. "Even Korriban in its prime wasn't this creepy."

Leia shook her head. "I don't know," She admitted. "It feels like something's been watching us this whole time."

Connan grinned. "Want to know the funny thing about feeling like you're being watched?"

"What?"

"You usually _are _being watched."

Leia sighed. "That doesn't make me feel any better."

"No," Mission agreed. "But it'll make you leave a vibrosword within arm's reach.

"You sure do think a lot about weapons and fighting for a twenty year old." Luke remarked.

Mission frowned. "Oh, no. I'm still nineteen."

Now it was Luke who frowned. "But we've known you for almost two years now."

Connan shrugged. "That's just how it works."

Leia narrowed her eyes. "But that doesn't make any—"

There came a frightening roar from behind Connan, followed by a deafening reply that surrounded all of them. Connan shot up and called her sabers to her, flicking them open and looking around.

The five men brought with them looked around curiously. A large _something _leapt out from behind a rock and smashed into one of them, dragging him off behind a rock. You could hear a bite and a pained cry.

Then nothing but rhythmic, wheezy grunts from the creatures all around them.

There was a wicked laughter in the air and a bright light. The other four men cried out, and Connan reached out with her Force to form a protective bubble around herself and the other three at the fire. Mission gripped Connan's arm tightly, her whole body shaking.

"Oh, it's like my head is on _fire_," Mission cried. "Like I'm going to split in half. Make it stop, Connan!" Mission gripped Connan's arm tighter.

Connan hugged Mission to her and strengthened the bubble around them. She could feel—well, _something_—pushing at the Force bubble, pressuring away as hard as it could in the hopes to get inside and wreak its havoc. Connan shut her eyes and hoped Luke and Leia would have the sense to stay still.

Then the white light was gone. Mission exhaled loudly and dropped to her knees. Leia bent to her side and felt her forehead.

"She's burning up." Leia whispered. "We should get her back to base."

"What happened to my team?" Luke asked, staring at where the four remaining men used to stand. Instead of men, four white, slimy-looking creatures stood, hunched over onto their knuckles and feet, snarling at each other and at Luke.

Connan shoved Luke behind her and held her sabers up.

"We've _all _got to get out of here." Connan ordered. "_Now_."

"What _are _they?" Leia asked, placing one of Mission's arms over her shoulder and puller her up to stand.

Mission took a deep breath and stared, wide-eyed. "They're rakghouls."

A high-pitched, insane laughed rose up. "Excellent! I'm not dealing with completely ignorant people, then."

A woman came out from behind a large boulder. Her pale skin shone even during the night, and the slight breeze made her long black hair flutter behind her. Her crazed red eyes stared beadily at Connan, who glared right back. "You shall all make excellent rakghoul slaves."

"Get back to the ship." Connan said, backing up so Luke would have to take a step back. "We're not that far away. Take Mission and _run_."

"I'm not leaving you!" Luke cried.

"Leia's going to need help getting Mission back." Connan shot back. "I'll catch up. I promise."

Luke nodded and turned to leave. "And Luke," Connan called as he pulled his blaster out. "Don't let the rakghouls bite any of you."

**XXXXX**

"_What?!" _

"I'm sorry, Carth. It just happened, and we had to get away to help Mission, because whatever it was that hurt her left her extremely weak, and the rakghouls nearly surrounded us—"

"_Is Mission all right? Where is Connan now?" _Carth asked.

"Mission is fine. She's sleeping right now. We're waiting for Connan to come back."

"Stop waiting." Came Connan's voice from the ramp. She shut it quickly and plopped into the copilot's seat. "Let's get out of here. _Now_. This was a suicide mission. Who the _hell _decided that this would be _smart_?"

"_Connan, are you all right?" _Carth's overly-worried voice came from the ship's comm. link.

"I'm fine, Carth. Honestly. I've dealt with half-crazy, Sith-spirit-possessed Jedi before." Connan grinned as the ship rose into the air and she plotted Hoth on the map. "I even took out most of her rakghoul friends before leaving her."

"_Connan, that is _not _funny."_

"I thought it was." Connan replied. "I'm trying to use all my humor now so when I get back I can rip apart whoever it was that decided this would be an _intelligent_ mission."

"What did you do with the crazy lady?" Leia asked.

Connan sighed. "She went into a monologue about her precious stone around her neck and how it can turn people into Rakghouls but doesn't exactly work on Force-sensitives or some non-humans. That's why it hurt Mission so much and didn't really affect us. While she was busy telling me her big plot to take over the galaxy and trying to tamp down the actual person who _owns_ the body being possessed, I took out a few of her rakghoul minions and wounded her shoulder." Connan shook her head. "She can't get off the planet, or she would have already. She's stuck with no one now but herself and her rakghouls."

"So what now?" Luke asked. "Our entire team is gone."

"Now? Now we go back to Hoth and find whoever created this mission. _Someone's _got to pay for making us fall into that death trap, and I'm all about justice."

Carth chuckled on the intercom. _"I've told the medical staff of your arrival. They'll be at the hangar to check you all over and to take Mission into the med bay when you return."_

Connan nodded. "We'll be there is about five hours."

**XXXXX**

"Here." Connan threw Han a datapad. She dragged Luke with her into the main hold and sat him down, going over his wounds to check for scarring. "Get Starkiller on the line. Tell him he should be looking for this guy next."

"Ouch!" Luke winced as Connan pinched a particularly sensitive spot. "That hurt!"

"That's what happens when you get into a fight with a bigger fish." Connan shrugged.

"Oh, I wouldn't call that a _fight, _Connan." Carth admitted. "Vader took Luke by surprise. _You _nearly ripped his head off."

"I would have succeeded too, if it weren't for that Wandrella." Connan shuddered. "The only thing worse than a Hutt is a giant worm."

"Thanks, though." Luke mumbled. "Leia and I would have been toast if you guys hadn't shown up."

Connan shrugged. "What were you doing on Mimban, anyway?"

"Well, about a month ago, after you left to deal with the trouble in Corellia, Leia and I went off to the Circarpus System on a diplomatic mission. We crash landed on Mimban."

"And? After that?"

"We met a woman named Halla who said if we got her the Kaiburr Crystal she would help us escape the planet." Leia replied.

"But we didn't realize that Vader was also looking for the crystal." Luke completed.

"_Around this time is when you sent your transmission in from R7-B3, asking for our whereabouts." _R2-D2 recounted.

"_I'm not a damn telephone!" _R7 whined. _"I refuse to be used as one!"_

Connan laughed. "That's right. I knew something bad was going to happen, so I asked R2 to send us your location."

"And off we went!" Mission cried, giggling. "As soon as we landed Connan and Carth set out to find you."

"You'd think after two and a half years you'd get sick of saving our hides." Leia commented.

Connan snorted and shook her head. "As long as you accept it, I'll always try to protect you."

"Yes, well, I for one and very glad you did." C3PO replied. "It's very frightening, facing Darth Vader like that."

"I'm just surprised Luke held him off for as long as he did." Connan grinned, patting Luke on the head. "That just shows how much raw talent he has."

Luke laughed. "Where are we off to now?"

**XXXXX**

"So, what? They've been taken prisoner?"

"Yes. That's exactly what happened."

"Why would they do that? Skorr has no affiliation with the Empire. He's just a—"

"A bounty hunter. Exactly." Han sat on the table and ran his hands through his hair, obviously in stress. "Don't you see? Skorr the cyborg is using Luke and Leia to get to _me_."

Connan frowned.

"Come _on_, Connan! For three years you've been following me almost everywhere I go, on almost every mission, and you've _seen _how many times we've been held up because of bounty hunters." Han sighed and crossed his arms.

"So why did he take Carth, too?" Connan asked.

Han shrugged. "Maybe Jabba remembers you and wants to try and get to you to get to me. Nabbing Carth would be the quickest way to get to you."

"Aren't you being a bit paranoid?"

"Paranoid?" Han repeated. "I'm _paranoid? _I've got half the damn Bounty Hunter's Guild after me and I'm _paranoid_?"

Connan rolled her eyes. "Look, whining about it isn't going to get anyone back."

Han crossed his arms. _"You _seem unusually cool-headed."

"Because I'm smart enough to know that this bounty hunter won't hurt our friends. I'm certain if we just exchange you for them he'll let them come quietly."

Han turned white. "We're just going to give in?"

Connan laughed. "Of course not! I'm just saying that as long as Skorr thinks you're going to turn yourself in, he'll have no reason to harm Carth, Luke, and Leia. He might even drop his guard around them once he sees you coming quietly."

Han frowned. "What about you and Chewie?"

Connan waved it off. "Chewie and I took Mission and left hours ago. We saw our friends get captured and high-tailed it out of here."

From the other room, Chewbacca roared angrily.

"No, Chewie. We're not actually going to leave him." Connan clarified. "I'm just saying… if Han doesn't know where we are, and we just so _happen _to find ourselves right next to our captured friends when Han is about to turn himself in, what a surprise that would be."

Han grinned.

**XXXXX**

Connan leapt gracefully from the beam on the ceiling, landing right on top of Gribbet, Skorr's assistant who was watching the prisoners. She raised a hand to the back door and balled her hand into a fist, crunching the door into nothing. Chewbacca and Mission walked through and headed straight for the computer.

"I'll get them out." Mission called quietly.

"Connan!" Carth whispered.

"Right here." Connan replied.

"Where's Han?" Leia asked.

"Out front, stalling Skorr for as long as he can."

"Got it!" Mission cried triumphantly. The force cages shut off and Chewbacca handed each freed prisoner a blaster.

"Let's get out of here." Connan grinned. "But let's go out the front."

Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and Mission took off immediately. Carth stopped for a moment to give Connan a much-needed kiss.

"Did they hurt you?" Connan asked.

"Not at all." Carth replied.

"Good. I'd annihilate them _all _if they had." Connan answered.

Carth simply beamed.

Gribbet groaned as he regained consciousness. Before Connan left, she kicked him squarely in the head.

**XXXXX**

"No, really. We understand." Connan insisted. "We'll be back as soon as possible."

Mon Mothma bowed on the view screen and it shut off.

"What was that about?" Leia asked.

Connan pulled Leia with her into the main hold, where everyone lounged around, talking about their recent escape from Ord Mantell and the infamous bounty hunter Skorr.

"We're heading back to Hoth." Connan announced. "Mon Mothma and the others are becoming worried that we've overstayed our welcome there. We're to discuss other planets that would be good for bases."

Chewbacca nodded and stood. **"I'll set a course, then."**

Han stayed seated, staring intently at the dejarik board, even though there wasn't currently a game playing.

Connan took a seat next to Carth, who wrapped his arms around her protectively. "I've got a feeling things are about to get very interesting."

**XXXXX**

**Sorry I didn't post yesterday. I had a friend over and didn't really have time. So I updated today! And **_**yes, **_**I'm actually going to start on the movie next chapter. Yay! If I can find it.**

**And yes, this chapter was mostly trying to fill in the rest of the years, but the events I wrote about did actually happen. Not exactly in that order and not exactly in that way, but they did happen.**

**Nothing happening, now. Summers are boring. I'm about to go play Knights of the Old Republic again, just because I'm so bored and I like seeing all the different roads you can take a stuff.**

**So until next week!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	6. Envy and Cowardice

"_**I envy you your wits, your cowardice I hate."  
**_—_**Electra**_

**Chapter Six: Envy and Cowardice**

_There she is. _Carth thought, letting out a silent sigh. He stared down at Connan and seethed inside his head. _Why doesn't she _tell _me when she takes her breaks? _Carth stormed up to her, ready to scold, but stopped when he saw her pained expression.

"Connan? Are you all right?" Carth asked, sliding down the wall and seating himself next to the lovely Jedi.

Connan had her knees pulled up to her chest and her head was propped up on the wall, facing the ceiling. Her eyes were closed and she took deep breaths, as if trying to stave off another bout of morning sickness. She looked a little green and shivered every now and again.

"I'm _cold_." Connan replied, almost in a whine. "I'm hungry but I feel sick to my stomach." Carth chuckled and draped an arm around Connan's shoulders, pulling her close. Connan set her head on Carth's shoulder and sighed. "I've heard of people having long pregnancies, but this is _ridiculous!_"

First things first, Carth decided. "Why are you cold? You're practically buried inside your robes."

Mission had made sure of that. As soon as Connan stepped out of her room for the morning Mission pounced on her and wrapped her up so tightly in robes and jackets that you almost couldn't see her.

Connan shivered again. "Luke went out with Han to scout the planet again." Connan explained. "The General and I were hashing out escape routes in case the Empire finds us before we can completely move, and it got really cold and I started getting nauseous so I just took my break and went to calm down somewhere."

Carth stood up, pulling Connan with him. "I've got some crackers in the room. That should take out the nausea _and _the hunger, right?"

Connan shrugged. "I'd still be cold."

Carth stepped behind Connan and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him.

"Better?" He breathed into her ear.

Connan swallowed, leaning back into the touch and closing her eyes. "Much."

**XXXXX**

Connan knelt on top of the _Millennium Falcon_, staring at the open wires next to her. "Chewie, you've crossed these wires," Connan pointed out. "The whole circuit is going to fry if you leave it like that."

"**I'll get right on it." **Chewbacca answered, pulling his goggles down and turning on the welder. He snarled to himself. **"**_**Where **_**is Han? We're supposed to be leaving soon and he's taking his time out there!"**

"He's just making sure he does a thorough job, and then he's probably going to say goodbye to his favorite princess." Connan replied as she pried open another panel and went to work. "Don't be _that _hard on him."

"**Well, there's no way we can get all of this done with just the two of us," **Chewbacca replied. **"There's too much to get done. We'll never get this done today. Your Twi'Lek friend is off to the cantina, still on break. Your favorite droid isn't even helping!"**

Below them, R7-B3 beeped wildly. _"I'm standing under you with a net, in case you fall to your untimely death!"_

Connan rolled her eyes. "I think Carth messed with R7's configuration or something. He's always thinking I'm going to die."

"**That seems a little cynical." **Chewbacca commented.

Connan shrugged. "I just can't get through to him. I'll only die of—"

"_I know, I know. 'I'll only die of old age'." _R7 grumbled. _"But if that comes true, it will _only _be because I spent year after year saving your life. You know you've probably cut my own life span into a fraction of what it should be? I've got rusty gears because of you!"_

"Do you need maintenance?" Connan frowned. "Why didn't you say so?"

R7 gave a loud beep; a utility droid's impression of a sigh. _"It's an _expression_."_

"**Bacca's Blade, that droid talks a lot." **Chewbacca grumbled as he continued working. **"And what annoying sounds he's constantly making! Maybe you should configure him to sing a song while he's talking."**

R7-B3 stopped talking and if he were human he would have gaped. _"Don't put that idea into her head! She might actually _do _it!"_

Connan wasn't listening. She grinned toothily. "Yeah! That way, even when he's mad and yelling at me, it'll sound nice and smooth."

"Chewie!" Called a voice farther back than R7.

"_You touch me and I'll burn your hand off."_

"But then I might get it infected and die like that. Then your fractured life-span will have been cut down for nothing."

"Chewie!"

R7 whirled his head around a few times, as if thinking the logic through.

"_You're a crazy woman, Connan. Half the time I don't even know why I'm trying to help you."_

Connan grinned. "Because deep down, you love me and you know it."

R7 scowled and began beeping again, as if to say something.

"_Chewie_!"

Chewbacca whirled around and looked down at Han, who stood below the ship, staring at the Wookie and the Jedi.

Chewbacca raised his welder and growled. **"You! You're late! Here I am, trying to get us out of here so we don't **_**die**_**, and you're making **_**Connan **_**of all people help me!"**

Connan scowled. "Should I be insulted by that?"

"All right! Don't lose your temper. I'll come right back and give you a hand." Han replied. He walked off toward the inside of the base.

"Hey, I'll be right back Chewie." She said to the Wookie. Connan leapt off the ship, making her way toward Han.

"**Great. Now it's just me and the angry, singing droid."**

"Han?" Connan called. Han turned and waited for Connan to catch up. "What happened out there?"

"Oh, nothing." Han replied. "There's not a thing out there on the surface."

"Where's Luke?"

"He said he saw a meteor hit and he went to check it out. He should be right back." Han answered, taking his jacket off and draping it around Connan. "You still look cold."

Connan rubbed her shoulders, feeling the embroidered _Han Solo _on the jacket sleeve. "Thanks."

"Now, look. I need to talk to both you and Carth." Han stated after a minute of silent walking. "As Generals of the Rebellion, not as friends."

Connan nodded, understanding. He was probably going to formally dismiss himself from the Rebellion so he could go and settle his debt to Jabba. Skorr on Ord Mantell really scared him, apparently.

They entered the control room and looked around. Leia looked up and scanned her eyes over Connan, who was still trying to rub the cold out of her. Han and Leia made eye contact, but Leia sent him an icy glare and went back to her work.

Han and Connan made their way into the back, where Carth—in full General mode—stood. He nodded to each of them. "Han. Connan."

"There's no sign of life out there, General. The sensors are in place. You'll know if anything comes around." Han reported.

"Has Commander Skywalker reported in, yet?" Carth asked.

Han shook his head. "No. He's checking out a meteorite that hit near him."

Carth snorted. "With all the meteor activity in this system, it's going to be difficult to spot approaching ships."

Han took a deep breath and spoke before he could be drawn into the conversation. "General, I got to leave. I can't stay anymore."

Carth nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Connan's eyes flitted around to Leia, who looked pretty intently at Han. Connan smirked.

"Well, you know there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the Hutt, I'm a dead man."

"I understand, of course." Carth replied. "A death mark's not an easy thing to live with."

Connan stuck her hand out. "You're a good fighter, Solo. I hate to lose you."

"Thank you, Generals."

Connan grinned. "Oh, who am I kidding?" She wrapped her arms around Han and hugged him as tightly as she could. "You call me if you get into any trouble, all right?"

"Of course I will." Han replied. "You'd probably find out about it and come save me anyway." He smirked. "So I'll save myself the trouble of hearing you lecture about doing things myself and just keep my word."

Connan smacked the back of his head.

Carth shook Han's hand. "You're a good man, Han. I want to thank you for all you've done for us."

Han returned the gesture. "The same to you, Carth."

Carth nudged Han in the direction of Leia, who was staring blatantly at Han as he turned to her.

"Well, Your Highness, guess this is it." Han said, shifting from foot to foot.

"That's right." Leia replied, her voice and face both emotionless.

Han winced. His face set into a hardened look as if he'd been insulted. "Well, don't get all mushy on me. So long, Princess." Han was up and out the door.

Leia snarled at the door, standing up and storming out just as they closed.

Completely amused and looking forward to the confrontation coming, Connan and Carth followed.

"Han!" Leia seethed, striding up toward Han as quickly as possible.

"Yes, Your Highnessness?" Han snapped, turning around and slumping tiredly.

"I thought you had decided to stay." Leia replied.

"Well, the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind." Han answered, shrugging.

"Han, we need you!"

Han took a double-take. "_We _need? What about _you _need?" He pointed a finger straight at Leia.

"_I _need?" There was a slight pause. Leia turned red and looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Han clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "You probably don't." He turned around and kept walking.

"And what, precisely, am I supposed to know?" Leia asked, following him.

"Come on!" Han almost yelled. "You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me."

"Yes! You're a great help to us!" Leia argued. "You're a natural leader."

Connan couldn't help but laugh.

"It's like looking at Atton and Donella!" She whispered to Carth.

Carth nodded beside her. "They certainly to act like them."

"No! That's not it." Han stopped, pointing a finger in Leia's face. Then he pointed at himself. "Come on."

Leia blushed.

"Ah-ha!" Han grinned.

Now Leia rolled her eyes. "You're imagining things."

"Am I? Then why are you following me?"

"So are Connan and Carth!" Leia retorted, flinging an arm in the couple's direction.

Carth held up his hands. "We're the referees."

"Oh, face it, Your Highness. You're afraid I was going to leave without giving you a good-bye kiss."

Leia looked disgusted. "I'd just as soon kiss a Wookie."

"I can arrange that!" He turned around and stormed off. "You could _use _a good kiss!"

Leia growled under her breath. "How does one _deal _like someone like that?"

"One day at a time." Connan replied. She held out her hand to the distraught woman. "Come on, let's—"

Then there was a powerful blow to the left side of her head, and Connan flew across the hallway. Everything went black before she touched the ground.

**XXXXX**

"Connan!" Carth called, racing toward her. He knelt down beside her and checked her pulse before realizing that of _course_ she was still alive. He could have laughed at himself if the situation hadn't already scared him.

Chiding himself for actually thinking she was dead, Carth rested her head on his lap and checked her over.

"What happened?" Leia asked, staring at Connan. She looked up and spotted an on-duty officer. "You, there! Get a medic."

The man went running.

"I don't know what happened." Carth replied. "She just—she looked like something knocked her halfway down the hall."

Leia stared wide-eyed at Connan's face. "Look."

There, on the left side of Connan's face, her cheek turned an awful purple color. The bruise crawled up around her eye and halfway through her forehead.

Carth instantly picked her up and began the trek to the medbay. They met the medic halfway there and explained the situation. The medic looked Connan over as best he could while still heading toward the medbay.

When they arrived, the medic hooked Connan up to a machine that read her life signs and went to work.

"She seems fine," The medic stated ten minutes later when he finished his diagnostic. "She had a concussion—which I cured—and a long bruise along her head here, but there are no cuts." The medic pointed out. "It's almost as if she was hit from the inside."

"How long until she wakes up?" Carth asked.

The medic shrugged. "Not for at least an hour or two."

Carth whirled around to a sick-looking Leia. "Tell Mission what happened. Then go find Luke."

Leia frowned. "What—"

"Whatever happened didn't happen to _her_." Carth explained. "It either happened to you or to Luke. Since _you're _fine, and the last time I checked Luke hadn't checked in yet, we can only assume that something's happened to him." Carth sighed. "I'd like you to go see if he's checked in yet or not."

Leia nodded and took off running.

**XXXXX**

_Oh, Force_, Connan thought. _My head is pounding!_

Connan opened her eyes and blinked at the bright lights. She sat up (slowly, only because the pounding in her head got worse the faster she went) and looked around.

"You're awake!" Carth stated from beside her. He grasped her hand and smiled, obviously relieved. "Try not to move too fast."

"What the _hell _happened?" Connan asked, using her other hand to hold her head.

"I was hoping you could tell _me_, actually. We were talking with Leia and you suddenly were thrown across the room. You had a concussion, and you got this." Carth trailed his finger down the side of Connan's face, tickling her with how he barely touched it.

"Gave me what?" Connan asked, pressing her hand to her face. She instantly hissed and recoiled. She summoned the mirror to her and looked at her reflection. "Well," She stated. "That's strange."

"You don't remember anything?" Carth asked, squeezing Connan's hand tightly.

"I remember Han and Leia arguing. The next thing I know, I'm waking up with a pounding headache and a bruise trailing down my face." Connan shook her head and then winced at the gesture. "How long was I out?"

"Not long at all. The doctor said you would be unconscious for at least an hour or two, but it's only been half an hour."

Connan frowned, shivering as she rubbed her shoulders. Force, she was _still _cold in this place! What was going on? She'd never been _this _cold inside the base in Hoth.

She'd also never been knocked unconscious by an unknown assailant before.

Connan's frown deepened. Maybe it wasn't _her_.

Then she remembered.

"_What's the matter, girl?" _Luke's voice rang in her head as he tried to soothe the anxious taun-taun. _"You smell something?"_

Then there'd been a blow to the head and nothing.

Connan closed her eyes and tried to focus on Leia. She and Mission were inside the base, looking to contact someone. That was all right. Connan turned her attention to Luke.

The pounding in her head became more pronounced, and she felt herself swaying from side to side.

_He's upside down. _She thought. _The blood is rushing to his head._

In the background she could hear the smacking of gums and the disgusting sounds of something eating.

"Carth, what kinds of wildlife are on Hoth?" She asked, trying not to panic herself.

"There's the tauntauns, of course." Carth started.

"Right." Connan nodded. The tauntauns were nothing to worry about.

"Then there are the skels." Carth continued.

Connan nodded. Skels were dangerous, but if anything had happened with a skel, the victim would most likely be dead already. She discarded that idea.

"And there are the wampas."

Connan paled.

**XXXXX**

"I didn't _ask _you to turn on the thermal heater, you know." C3PO scolded as he and his two utility droid friends made their way down the hall. "I merely commented that it was freezing in the princess' chambers."

"_You said it was freezing!" _R7-B3 repeated.

"_Princess Leia could get sick if her rooms are too cold." _R2-D2 replied.

"But it's _supposed _to be freezing!" 3PO groaned. "How will we dry out her clothes? I really don't know…."

R7 beeped a very impolite retort.

"Oh, switch off!"

C3PO knocked into a woman moving swiftly through the halls and into the hangar. When he regained his balance, he was barreled over again by a man, most likely following the woman. C3PO nearly fell over.

"Oh! How rude!"

"Connan, slow down!" Carth barked.

Connan didn't pay attention. She stormed through the hangar and came up on Han and Chewbacca arguing.

"Why did you take this apart now?" Han growled. "I'm trying to get us out of here and you pull both—"

"Han!" Connan called. Han looked up at Connan, his eyes widening at the bruise across her face.

"What happened?" Han asked, reaching for her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Connan waved him off.

"You're _fine_? You look like someone took a metal pole to your head! Why isn't she in the medbay?" The last question was directed at Carth.

Carth huffed, crossing his arms. "She was. She stormed out and I haven't been able to keep up with her."

"Go back to the medbay, Connan." Han instructed. "Chewie and I have got to fix _this _problem for the moment, so we won't be leaving for another few hours. I promise I'll let you see me off."

Connan snorted. "I'm _not _going back to the medbay, and that's _not _why I'm here."

"Then what is it?"

"Luke's gone!"

Han opened his mouth to reply, but C3PO and the other two droids met up with them. "Excuse me, sir. Might I have a word with you, please?"

Han sighed. "What do you want?"

"Well, it's Princess Leia and Mission Vao, sir. They've been trying to contact you."

"I turned my communicator off. I don't want to talk to her _or _her friend." He looked around the droid to Connan. "No offense."

Connan shrugged.

"Well, both the Princess and Miss Vao are wondering about Master Luke. He hasn't come back yet."

"I don't know where he is." Han answered.

"Nobody knows where he is." C3PO replied.

"What do you mean, nobody knows?" Han growled. He looked around the droid at Connan again. "What's going on?"

"I already checked." Connan retorted. "The Deck Officer says he hasn't checked in at any of the entrances. He's _out there, _Han."

"Yes, ma'am." Han saluted. He grabbed his weapons and strapped them into his belt. "Let's go."

"Excuse me, sir. Might I inquired what's going on?" C3PO asked.

"Why not?" Han replied, not totally listening.

C3PO shook his head. "Impossible man. I only asked a question."

R7 rolled up beside Connan. _"You're going with him, aren't you?"_

"Me? Of course I am. I'm the only one who's got any sort of idea where to start looking." Connan replied.

"You're _going_?" Carth asked. "What about your head?"

"I can deal." Connan replied, following Han into the north entrance. "I've got my sabers in the top jacket. I'll be fine. I promise."

"Connan—"

"Look, it's either _me_, or _Luke_." Connan replied. "Which of us has a greater chance of coming back?"

Carth sighed, taking her hand and squeezing it tightly. "Just don't die."

Connan smiled. "Of course not."

R7 opened a small opening on his front. _"Here. It's a tracker. We'll be able to find your frozen corpses easier if you take this with you."_

Connan chuckled and took the small round object. She slipped it into her jacket pocket. "You're always looking out for me."

"General Frai," the Deck Officer stated. "Commander Luke still hasn't checked in. It might be that he forgot."

"That's not likely." Han shook his head. "Are the speeders ready?"

"Uh… not yet. We're having trouble adapting them to the cold." Replied another officer.

"Then we'll have to take the tautauns." Connan stated. She turned and headed for an already-saddled tauntaun.

"Ma'am, the temperature's dropping too rapidly."

"That's right, and my friend is out in it." Han defended, climbing onto the tauntaun next to Connan's.

"Your tauntauns will freeze before you reach the first marker." The Deck Officer pleaded.

"Then we'll see you in hell!" Han shouted.

Connan kicked her tauntaun and it raced off into Hoth's perpetual blizzard.

**XXXXX**

**Sorry I didn't update last week. I had a friend over for a couple of days. She was supposed to leave on Wednesday and that's when I was going to do this, but her douchebag dad surprised us by saying she could stay until this Sunday, so I had to start it today after I got home from doing nursery duty at the church.**

**And really, I should be practicing my lines. I've got VBS today and I'm one of four people in the drama. For some reason they always put me as a male. This time I'm an Australian named Liam. But I'm going to be a different Liam every night, because I like doing weird stuff. Last year I was a girl named Tanya, but I kept spelling it different ways. That was fun. Any ideas? It's got to be a famous Liam, like Liam Neeson or Liam Dunn. **

**Anyway, I'm on chapter 5 and I'm 00:08:20 or the way through.**

**I got a new computer that doesn't have WinDVD player on it, and I hate InterVideo, so I'm stuck using both the TV **_**and **_**the computer to update these days. It takes longer, but so long as it gets done I don't think it matters.**

_**Amme Moto**_


	7. Suffering Learners

"_**Justice so moves that those only learn  
**__**Who suffer; and the future  
**__**You shall know when it has come; before then, forget it."  
**_—_**Agamemnon**_

**Chapter Seven: Suffering Learners**

"How are you holding up?" Han called through the roaring of the snow.

Connan shivered again and patted her tauntaun. "I'm fine. Let's just keep moving."

Han nodded and set his tauntaun to the last spot he'd seen Luke. Connan followed, ignoring how her headache grew worse with each separate bounce of the tauntaun's movements.

It only took them around ten minutes to get to their starting point. Han took his goggles off and looked around. "This is where I left him. He said a meteorite dropped nearby."

"Let's see, then." Connan replied. She removed her own goggles and examined the area.

"It's not like we'll find footprints or anything." Han chided. "If a wampa got him, like you said, we should search the surrounding caves."

"Hang on a moment." Connan replied. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

Connan pulled at the link between her and Luke and grasped onto it. Her head began ringing with pain as she felt Luke swinging back and forth as he had been before. He was still unconscious, from what Connan could tell. She nudged at his mind.

"_Luke? Luke, are you there?" _Connan thought toward him. _"Wake up, sleepy-head."_

Nothing happened. With a sigh, Connan tried again. _"Wake up, Luke. I need to see where you are and I can't do that if you're not awake."_

Still nothing. Connan pushed harder at his mind.

"_Wake up!"_

Luke's mind jolted and his eyes opened wide. Connan could feel Luke's position a lot more, now. It beckoned to her as if a light was shining over his location.

Connan pointed to the west. "He's that way."

Han frowned. "You're sure?"

"Yes." Connan nodded.

Han shrugged. "Let's go."

**XXXXX**

Carth stood at the still-open entrance to the base, rubbing his shoulders to keep warm and watching the two utility droids for any sign of life.

Han and Connan had been gone for hours, now. They'd gone far enough away that the tracking device R7 had given Connan no longer showed their location.

Even knowing that Connan and Han could definitely look after themselves, Carth still worried.

"You must come along now, Master Carth." C3PO stated as he joined them outside. "There's really nothing more that can be done."

"Connan's still out there." Carth replied. "I'm not going anywhere until she comes back."

"_We're going to stay with Carth." _R2 agreed. R7 beep in concurrence.

"But my joints are freezing up!" C3PO whined.

"_Feel free to go back inside." _R7 stated, bobbing his head up in what could be considered a droid-shrug.

"_It's probably warmer in there." _R2 added. Then he beeped sadly. _"We're never going to see any of them ever again, are we?"_

"_No, we're not." _R7 answered.

"Don't say things like that! Of course we'll see Master Luke and the others again." C3PO turned and headed for the blast doors leading inside. "And they'll all be quite all right. You'll see."

Carth sighed and rubbed his shoulders harder. "Tell me truthfully, R7, is there any sort of chance that they'll come back tonight?"

For a minute R7 was silent. _"Tonight? Impossible. It's getting colder by the second, and if they're not back inside the base in the next half-hour, there's no way they'll be able to go anywhere. Their tauntauns will freeze to death, if they haven't already."_

Carth closed his eyes and nodded.

R7 continued._ "Connan might be exceptionally good at breaking the odds of things against her, but I'm afraid there's no hope of any of them coming back tonight. If, however, you're certain of her chances of survival outside on Hoth's surface as being positive, tomorrow might look more hopeful."_

Carth shook his head, chuckling. "I guess that's the most we can hope for. I'm going in."

Carth entered the base and was immediately set upon by Mission. "Can R7 still read her? Is she all right? Did they find him?"

Carth held a hand over Mission's mouth. "R7 lost the signal a few hours ago. Connan got out of range. I don't know anything else."

"Sir!" The Deck Officer came running up to Carth. "Sir, all the patrols are in. Still no—"

"Shh!" Mission interrupted, glancing over at a worried Leia, who was sitting on top of a crate and staring at Carth and Mission intently.

"—Still no contact from Skywalker, Frai or Solo." He shook his head sadly. "It's getting late. If we keep the doors open much longer, everyone will suffer."

Carth nodded and turned toward Leia, who was conversing with C3PO.

"Leia," He started. "There's nothing more we can do tonight."

"You're just going to leave them out there?" Leia seethed.

"They've gone so far out that R7's sensors can't pick them up anymore. If we leave the doors open any longer we're all going to get sick." He laid a hand on Leia's shoulder. "They'll be all right. Han and Connan can take care of themselves, _and _each other. When morning comes we'll be the first ones out."

Leia closed her eyes and nodded. "Close the doors."

R2 beeped. C3PO stared at him then looked back up at Leia. "R2 says the chances of survival are seven-hundred twenty-five to one."

As the blast doors shut and sealed themselves closed, Chewbacca roared out miserably.

Even Carth couldn't stand the thought of leaving Connan and Han out in the cold all night.

"Actually," C3PO said quietly. "R2 has been known to make mistakes… from time to time."

**XXXXX**

The good news was: the pressure in her head went down, suggesting that Luke had successfully gotten away from whatever trap the wampa had put him in.

The bad news was: Now Connan was _really _cold, and getting lightheaded.

"He's out here somewhere," Connan called to Han. "He's not in the wampa cave anymore."

"Everything is the same color out here!" Han shoulder back. "Any idea where to start looking?"

Connan shivered. It was getting colder.

"_This way."_

Connan cried out, obviously taken by surprise at the new voice. She looked up and saw Obi Wan—although transparent—walking backward.

"What? What is it?" Han asked when Connan didn't reply.

"_He's over here." _Obi Wan repeated, still backing up and keeping an eye on Connan.

"Let's try this way." Connan called behind her, not looking away from Obi Wan. If he disappeared, their chance at finding Luke might be gone. She nudged her tauntaun forward, hoping Han was following. She smirked when he pulled up beside her.

"I see him!" Han called out, pointing. "Look, there in the snow."

Connan saw it, too. She could make out Luke's black vest popping out from the snow. She leapt off her tauntaun and raced toward him. Han lurched forward, pulling his tauntaun closer before getting off.

Connan knelt down next to Luke and turned him over, onto his back.

"Don't do this, Luke." Connan murmured. "_Say _something."

"Is he alive?" Han asked.

"He's alive. I'm trying to get him conscious." Connan replied. "Find something to warm him up with."

While Han looked around for something to use, Connan began pumping Force energy into Luke, willing it to warm him up from the inside.

A loud screech startled Connan and made her jump up. "It's all right," Han calmed her. "My tauntuan just died." He knelt down and snatched up Luke's lightsaber. "Bring Luke over here."

Connan grabbed at Luke and hoisted him up, using the Force to do most of the work. Her frozen limbs could barely get a grip on him, and the last thing Luke needed right now was to be dropped.

Luke twitched. "Ben," He murmured. "Ben."

"What's he talking about?" Han asked as Connan set Luke down beside the dead tauntaun.

"He's delirious." Connan answered. "He's talking about Obi Wan."

Han fumbled around with the lightsaber until he turned it on. Then he leaned over and sliced open the dead tauntaun's stomach with it.

Connan stopped breathing. The stench hit her and made her sick.

"Hang on, Luke." Han said.

"Dagobah system…." Luke muttered. Connan stared at Luke, sitting him up.

"Whew," Han exclaimed, grabbing Luke's other shoulder and helping Connan. "This may smell bad, kid, but it'll keep you warm… at least until we get the shelter up."

"Yoda…." Luke shook his head roughly.

Connan was so surprised at the name that she let go of Luke.

Han promptly thrust him inside the tauntaun, making Connan shudder and squeal. She fell backward and propped herself up on her arms, trying not to breathe in the horrible smell.

Look on the bright side, Connan thought. At least Luke was safe.

"Ben… Dagobah… Yoda…."

Connan looked over at her tauntaun farther back to see it on its side, completely still. "It seems my tauntaun is as alive as yours is." She stated, standing up. "We're going to need _some _sort of food for the night. I'll drag it over here. You set up the shelter."

Han nodded and groaned, leaning on top of the dead tauntaun. "I thought they smelled back on the outside."

Connan laughed.

**XXXXX**

After wake-up call that next morning, everyone in the Base went to work. Carth was one of the first ones inside one of the shuttles, and he was part of the first group of four leaving the Base to look for the missing leaders.

Having known where Luke's scouting range was, Carth took R7-B3 with him and went straight to work.

"_My sensors are reacting to the tracking device." _R7 reported. _"It's coming from the west."_

"Got it." Carth replied. "Echo Base, I think I've got something."

Carth flew a ways more before turning on his radio. "Commander Skywalker, do you copy? This is Rogue Two."

Nothing.

"Han? Connan? This is Carth. Are you there?"

Still nothing. Getting steadily more worried, Carth kept his eyes open and on the lookout.

**XXXXX**

Han and Luke were still asleep, somehow. True, they weren't in any danger of dying anytime soon, but it was still freezing all around them. Connan hadn't been able to sleep at all.

After Han made the shelter big enough for the three of them, he and Connan pushed Luke down into it before going in themselves. It was a pretty deep hole for a shelter. Connan grinned and made fun of Han for being able to dig holes so quickly. He sneered and shot something back about trying to eat _tauntaun _meat.

For a while during the night, she and Han had batted around ideas about trying to get back to the Base on their own. True, they had no tauntauns anymore, and they would have to carry a wounded Luke around with them, but getting closer to the Base than where they were at the moment would make it easier to get back in the morning, right?

The ideas had stopped, however, when the top of the shelter nearly blew off because of the force of the wind outside. There was no way they'd make any progress in that kind of weather. They were stuck with waiting it out.

Han had been lucky enough to fall asleep shortly after that. Unfortunately for Connan, the cold had never done good things for her, and consequently kept her up all night.

Not that she minded. She needed to think about what Luke had said in his delirium.

Luke had mentioned Yoda while they were trying to get the boy warm. Now, since Connan was pretty damn sure that Luke had never heard of Yoda before, there was no way he could know the man's name now.

_Unless, of course, _Connan thought, _Obi Wan told him the name._

It was plausible. If Obi Wan had appeared to Connan in an attempt to help her find Luke, why wouldn't be appear to Luke and tell him about Yoda?

But then, why _would _be appear and tell Luke about Yoda?

By the time the sun rose, Connan still hadn't come up with a sure answer. She had a few ideas batting around in her head, like wanting Yoda to train him, or wanting them to recruit Yoda into the war, and she couldn't pinpoint which one was right.

Then the radio inside her bag sparked to life and whistled at her. She called it to her with the Force and stared at it.

"—you there?"

Han jerked himself awake at the voice and stared at the radio in Connan's hand.

"Who is it?" He asked groggily.

Connan shrugged. "I don't know. That's the first time that's happened."

There was static until Connan adjusted the signal again and listened.

"Connan, Han, this is Carth. Can you hear me?"

Han grinned, taking the radio and pressing the button on the side. "Good morning!"

Connan smiled. "Nice of you to drop by." She pulled herself up out of the shelter and waved at the fighter passing by.

As Carth landed, Han and Connan pulled Luke out of the shelter, trying not to hit his head on anything. Carth got to them and helped load him into the ship.

"There's a medical crew already waiting at the entrance of the Base." Carth explained. "We should get there as fast as possible."

"You two go ahead and sit in the back." Han offered. "I'll get us back to Base."

"Are you sure?" Connan asked. "I don't mind sitting in the back with you, or I could—"

Han leaned close and whispered into Connan's ear. "Trust me, Connan. Carth hasn't looked away from you yet."

Connan turned red as Carth pulled her into the back seat of the fighter, sitting her on his lap.

**XXXXX**

Carth made sure Connan was sitting next to him in the medbay, as well. He beckoned one of the medics over to her as soon as he found one, much to Connan's annoyance, and made sure she got a thorough check-up.

Now they both sat silently, watching as the medics did what they could to help Luke.

Carth had his hand entwined with Connan's, his thumb stroking the top of her hand. Every now and again he squeezed it like he was trying to wring out any bits of coldness trying to hide beneath the surface.

Mission sat on Connan's other side, everyone and again throwing another blanket around her or getting her something to eat.

The medics had now given Luke over to the droids, who sat him inside the bacta tank.

Connan leaned over and stared at Carth. He didn't look too good. There were purple bags underneath his eyes and his hair was in every which direction, like he hadn't even had time to comb it before leaving.

"You look like you didn't sleep at all last night." Connan commented quietly.

Carth smirked at Connan. The bruise across her face was fading, but at the moment it was still an ugly purple color. It matched the purple under her own eyes, which stood out compared to her pale skin, still a bit colorless from the cold.

"So do you, beautiful." Carth replied, kissing the top of her hand. It still felt too chilly for his satisfaction.

Connan wrinkled her nose. "I was too cold to sleep."

Carth placed both of his hands around one of Connan's, rubbing it to try and bring some warmth back to it. "And I was too lonely to sleep."

Connan turned bright red.

"Sheesh," Mission grumbled from the other side of Connan. She threw another blanket around the frozen woman and wrapped her up in it. "Get a room, guys."

Connan stuck her tongue out.

"That's not a bad idea, actually." Han stated, coming over to the three with Leia in tow. "I just spoke to the head medic. Luke's going to be in the tank for a while, and even when they take him out it'll be hours before they'll let anyone in to see him." He nodded toward the door. "Go get some sleep, both of you."

Connan opened her mouth to protest, but her words broke into a squeal as Carth lifted her up and held her close.

"Great. Thank you, Han." He nodded to the man, who smirked and held back a laugh. "Be sure to call us when he's accepting visitors."

With that, Carth turned and left, ignoring Connan's indignant whines and holding her all the tighter.

**XXXXX**

Later that day, Connan and Carth stepped into the medbay to see Luke sitting up and staring at them.

"You're alive!" Connan shouted, throwing her arms around the boy and hugging him.

"_Wow_, and you're _warm_." Luke retorted, hugging Connan close as well.

Connan turned red for the third time that day and looked away.

"Yes, well, uh—f"

"Master Luke, sir, it's so good to see you fully functional again!" C3PO interrupted, bursting into the room with R2-D2 and R7-B3 following him.

Luke smiled. "Thanks, 3PO."

"_I'm so glad you're all right!" _R2 chirped.

"_I can't believe you survived that." _R7 said in astonishment. Connan laughed.

C3PO looked at a loss for words. "Uhh… R2 and R7 express their relief also."

The door opened, letting Han, Leia, Mission, and Chewbacca enter before closing again.

"How you feeling, kid?" Han asked.

"Aw, he doesn't look so bad to me." Mission chided. "He looks strong enough to pull off the ears of a gundark!"

"Thanks to Han." Luke nodded to the man.

Han barked out a laugh. "That's _two _you owe me, junior."

Then Han turned around to face Leia, who stood in the background with her arms crossed. "Well, Your Worship, looks like you managed to keep me around for a little while longer."

Leia looked insulted. "I had nothing to do with it."

"We had to order everyone to stay." Connan reminded him. "It's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy shield."

Han nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that's a good story." He crossed his arms smugly. "_I _think she just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of her sight."

Behind Han, Luke rolled his eyes and shook his head. Connan held a hand to her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

Leia sneered. "I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain."

Chewbacca laughed.

Han turned to face Chewbacca, a mock-offended look on his face. "Laugh it up, fuzzball, but you didn't see us out there in the south passage." He turned and walked toward Leia, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her toward him. "Where she expressed her true feelings for me."

"My—" Leia scoffed, yanking herself away from him and glaring. "Why, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder!"

Connan burst into laughter. She clutched her stomach and braced herself on Mission, who was laughing almost as hard as she was.

Han turned back to look at Leia, ignoring the two laughing girls on the other side of the room. "Who's scruffy-looking?"

Leia's eye twitched.

Han turned to stage-whisper to Luke. "I must have hit pretty close to the mark to get her all riled up like that, huh, kid?"

Connan and Mission stopped laughing so they could look at Leia. Leia nodded, making her way toward Han and Luke. She brushed past Han, leaning over Luke, staring Han straight in the face.

"Well, I guess you don't know everything about women yet."

Then she reached out and pulled Luke's face toward hers, catching him in a fiery kiss.

Han froze, simply staring in disbelief. Chewbacca looked from Han to Leia, wondering if it would be okay to laugh.

Connan, Carth, and Mission all had their mouths wide open, staring in blatant shock.

Then Leia broke the kiss, glared once more at Han, and left. Luke lay back with his hands behind his head, a self-satisfied look on his face.

"**Whoa. I didn't think she'd do that!" **Chewbacca muttered.

As soon as the doors closed, signaling that Leia had left, Connan, Carth, and Mission all burst into uncontrollable laughter. Mission and Connan leaned onto each other, futilely trying to hold each other up. They hit the ground and still kept laughing. Carth held onto the table next to him, sitting down into the chair on the other side of the table and laying his head down.

"All right, all right," Han snarled over the laughter. "Take it easy." Then he turned and left, Chewbacca following close behind.

"Please excuse us," C3PO stated. He ushered the two utility droids out as well.

"Okay, it wasn't _that _funny." Luke said to the three laughing people left in the room.

"Oh, Luke, you have no _idea _how funny it is." Connan stated, standing and trying to find some air. She was still giggling under her breath. "I haven't laughed that hard in a long time."

Luke scowled. "Don't you have some work you should be doing?"

"As a matter of fact, she does." Carth replied, wiping the tears from his eyes and tugging on Connan's arm. Mission stood up and followed. "And you've got to be resting."

"We'll come see you later!" Connan called as she waved to him. When the door closed behind them she let out a breathy chuckle. "Oh, I wonder what Obi Wan's reaction to that was."

"I wonder what'd _Padmé's _reaction to that was." Carth corrected.

Connan simply laughed.

**XXXXX**

**Hi, guys! It's a day late, but happy Fourth of July!! I had a lot of fun. Some of my friends and I went out and blew up fireworks. I have them on my phone.**

**There's not too much to talk about. I spent about $200 at GameStop yesterday. I bought a PSP, a game for the PSP, and I preordered the Kingdom Hearts: 385/2 Days so I can get it when it comes out September 29****th****. In truth, the only reason I **_**bought **_**the PSP was because another of the Kingdom Hearts games is going to come out on it sooner or later, and I'd like to already have one before everyone else tries to get their hands on one.**

**Anyway, I'm on chapter 10 and I'm 0:18:19 of the way through. If nothing happens, I should update on schedule next week.**

**Until next time, then.**

_**Amme Moto**_


	8. Body of the People

"_**And when the messenger of a shaken host, sad faced,  
**__**Brings to his city news it prayed never to hear,  
**__**This scores one wound upon the body of the people;  
**__**And that from many houses many men are slain  
**__**By the two-lashed whip dear to the War God's hand, this turns  
**__**Disaster double-bladed, bloodily made two."  
**_—_**Agamemnon**_

**Chapter Eight: Body of the People**

"Hey, Leia?" Connan called as she studied the map in front of her. "I think we have a visitor."

"What do you mean?" Han asked. He wandered around to the other side of the control room and read the same map.

"We've picked up something outside the base's Zone Twelve, moving east." She flipped a button, maneuvering around the man sitting in front of the map.

"It's metal." The man sitting in front of her observed.

"Then it couldn't be one of those creatures." Leia stated.

"It could be a speeder. Maybe one of ours." Han suggested.

The tech sitting at the desk shook his head. "No. Wait." He pressed his hand to his ear, where a headphone was attached. "There's something very weak coming through."

Carth pressed a button on the console and pulled out the man's headphone set.

Radio static filled the room, almost covering up a mechanical language. Connan strained to listen. "I don't recognize this language."

C3PO looked up from his work on the other side of the control room. "Sir, I'm fluent in six million forms of communication. _This _signal is not used by the Alliance."

"It could be an imperial code." Carth filled in. He leaned down and muttered to the tech. "Send Rogues Ten and Eleven to Station Thirty-Eight."

Han remained silent for a moment, simply thinking. He took in a deep breath. "It isn't friendly, whatever it is. Come on, Chewie, let's go check it out." He pointed straight at Connan. "You stay here."

Connan puffed up indignantly. "Oh, really? You leave, so you automatically assume I'm going to try to follow you?"

"When haven't you?" Han replied.

"I—" Connan grinned. "Good point." She shrugged. "No, I think I'll just stay here. Amazingly enough, it's warmer _inside _than it is _outside_."

**XXXXX**

While waiting for Han and Chewbacca to find the intruding droid, Connan and Carth sat in a corner in the control room, waiting for some sort of contact.

"Carth, what do you know about the Dagobah system?"

Carth frowned, taking a sip of his drink. He didn't know what it was, but it was hot and slightly bitter, and kept him awake. "It's a lot like the Shadowlands in Kashyyyk, only much more _wet_." He started. "It's all swamp and mud and grass and fungus."

"Really?"

"It's so overgrown with dangerous plants and muddy waters that there's no room for any sort of civilization." Carth snorted. "Even the more primitive species wouldn't be able to live there."

"I see."

"Why?"

"No reason," Connan replied, shaking her head and taking a drink herself. "Luke was talking about Dagobah in his delirium when we found him on the surface and I was curious."

"What did he say about Dagobah?" Carth asked, frowning.

Connan crossed one leg over the other. "He said Yoda was there."

Carth's frown deepened. "How does Luke know who Yoda is?"

"That was _my _question." Connan replied. "I think—"

Static rang through the control room. Then Han's voice broke through. Connan and Carth leapt up and ran for the console.

"_I'm afraid there's not much left."_ Han reported.

"What was it?" Leia asked.

"_A droid of some kind."_ Han sighed. _"I didn't hit it that hard. It must've had a self-destruct."_

"An imperial probe droid." Connan answered.

"_It's a good bet the Empire knows we're here."_

Carth groaned. "We'd better start the evacuation."

Connan nodded. "Come on back, Han." She turned to Carth. "I'll go tell Luke and Mission. She's probably teaching him how to play Pazaak right now."

"All right. I'll tell the men."

**XXXXX**

"Hey, Luke." Connan called as she entered the medbay. She chuckled as he smiled at her. "It seems Mission hasn't completely deprived you of all your hope."

"I've even let him win a couple rounds." Mission replied.

"What can I do for you?" Luke asked, setting his cards down on the bed sheets. He ignored Mission's pout at pausing the game.

"I can't come in and visit my favorite Skywalker?" Connan asked, sitting at the foot of Luke's bed.

"Of course you can." Luke replied. "I'm the _only _Skywalker."

Connan grimaced. "Give-or-take one or two." She smiled and changed the subject before Luke could ask. "Anyway! I _have _come with news."

"What kind of news?" Mission asked.

"Han just found an imperial probe droid." Connan replied. "It seems they know where we are now."

Luke's smile faltered. "We're leaving?"

"Yes. There's going to be an evacuation, probably within the next twenty-four hours." Connan answered. "So you can get out of here a little earlier than you thought you could."

Luke shifted. "I suppose that's good."

Connan glanced at Mission. "Carth is looking for you."

Mission nodded, standing from her seat on the other side of Luke's bed. "I'll go find him, then." She stepped toward the door.

As soon as the door closed Connan turned back to Luke. "All right, mister. You're going to tell me what's up."

Luke frowned. "I'm going to what now?"

"You look like you're about a million light years away, and I think the wampa attack has something to do with it."

Luke shrugged. "Not the wampa attack, exactly…."

Connan shook her head. "I know that. I'm willing to bet that Obi Wan told you to do something. Something that has to do with Yoda and the Dagobah system."

Luke's eyes widened impossibly. "How do you—"

"You talk a lot when you're delirious." Connan answered. "What did Obi Wan say to you?"

Luke looked away. "Ben told me to go to the Dagobah system to find a Master Yoda. From there, Master Yoda would teach me how to use the Force." Then he frowned. "But I don't understand. You are _more _than capable of teaching me how to use the Force. Why can't _you _do it?"

Connan smirked. "I'm not a teacher, Luke. I know too much and most of my views are considered either outdated or Dark Side-esque. I'm very impatient and frankly, I think I'd push you much too hard." She shrugged. "Besides, learning from Yoda might do you some good. He was a funny little guy when I last saw him. Twenty-four years must have done a lot to him."

"And how do you know _him_?" Luke asked.

"He was on the Jedi Council ever since I first met him." Connan replied. "I think it was—has it really been thirty-six years?—anyway, I met him when your father was nearly ten years old. He's a good Jedi. You should get along with him. He likes kids."

Luke gawked indignantly. "I'm not a kid!"

Connan laughed ruffling up his hair. "No, I suppose not." She patted his leg and stood up. "You should be released sometime tonight, if not tomorrow morning. Get some sleep."

Luke nodded, sitting back. "See you later."

Connan waved good bye to Luke and left.

As Connan walked down the hall she felt an eerily familiar wave of annoyance well up in her that wasn't her own.

"_The Rebels are there. I can feel it. And I'm sure Skywalker and Connan are with them. If Admiral Ozzel defies me once more I will tear him apart."_

Connan froze. She rested a hand against the wall, clutching it as tightly as she could.

What the hell was _that_?

"Connan?" Mission's voice broke through Connan's shocked thoughts and the Jedi jerked. She shook her head and glanced at Mission, who looked at her quite worriedly. "Are you all right?"

"I—I'm fine." Connan replied. She grasped Mission's hand and tugged her along. "Really."

Mission shrugged. "Well, all right then. I just thought you should know that Starkiller's been trying to contact you."

Connan smiled. "All right. Let's go see him."

**XXXXX**

"So, Starkiller, it's been a while." Connan crossed her arms and smirked at the screen. "You've been growing you hair."

The man on the screen smiled and ran a hand through his hair, which was now much longer than it used to be. He wore civilian clothes, most likely to make him look less conspicuous. _"It keeps me warmer. Also Juno seems to like it better when it's longer."_

Mission whistled, earning a slap on the shoulder from Connan.

"Of course." Connan replied to the man. "Anything interesting happen as of late?"

Starkiller shrugged. _"Not particularly. I found Masters Zao and Cho-Leem hiding in the jungles of Bestal Three, and it took us the better part of two weeks to talk them into joining the war and finding other Jedi themselves. They're going to head your way as soon as they're ready."_

"Not so fast, Starkiller." Connan cut him off. "That's not a good idea."

Starkiller frowned. _"Why not?"_

"We found in imperial probe droid today. It self-destructed when fired at. We're pretty sure the Empire knows we're here." Mission replied.

"We're evacuating, starting tomorrow." Connan continued. "I'll send you the rendezvous coordinates. Go there as soon as you can."

Starkiller nodded_. "We're not that far from Hoth."_ He stated. _"If I hurry, I might be able to get there before the Empire does and help out."_

Connan shook her head. "You don't have to do that. There's a good chance that Vader will be supervising."

Starkiller blinked for a moment then waved the comment aside. _"I've been hiding from Vader for almost six years, now. I think it's time that he knows what kinds of enemies he's made over the years."_

Connan grinned. "No kidding. If you show up, we would sure appreciate your help."

"_We'll be there as soon as we can."_

"Thanks, Starkiller."

Starkiller shifted from foot to foot, scratching the back of his head. _"Actually, it's just Galen now."_

Connan cocked an eyebrow. "Galen?"

"_Galen Marek."_ He replied. _"My name. Starkiller was just a codename while I was gallivanting around the galaxy for Vader. I don't want to be known by that name. I'm sure _you_ know what it feels like to live by a codename."_

Connan's grin grew. "I sure do." She shook her head. "Very well. Galen Marek, then. I hope to see you soon."

"_You too, Connan." _Galen flicked a button and the screen went black.

Mission grinned. "So which is the codename? Connan or Revan?"

Connan threw an arm over Mission's shoulder and squeezed her. "Stop being so profound. Let's go find Carth and tell him what's up."

"Han should be back by now. He should be clearing up the last few kinks in the ship."

"Let's go visit him too, then." Connan replied. "I wouldn't want anything interesting to happen while I wasn't around."

**XXXXX**

And there she went again, scaling through the _Millennium Falcon _like it was a mountain and not a starship that could potentially electrocute her or make her slip and fall to her death.

But what could Carth do? So far, nothing bad had happened to them regarding that ship, and Connan loved working on it. With a sigh he went back to his work.

"Hey, Han." Connan called, climbing up to the top of the ship and making her way over to him. "How long have you been back?"

Han shrugged, throwing his hood back away from his head as he worked on a panel. "Not long. Chewie and I are working on some last-minute fixes." He placed thick, black goggles on his face and began welding two wires together. "All right! That's it. Try it, Chewie."

Connan leaned over Han's shoulder to inspect his handiwork. He'd reconfigured the whole panel, essentially trying to make the old ship faster.

He'd also left two sets wires crossed.

"Han, wait. You forgot to—"

The panel sparked and flamed to life, emitting smoke and crackling viciously. An alarm began blaring through the hangar. Connan leapt backward and out of the way, staring with her mouth dropped.

"Oh! Turn it off! Turn it _off_!" Han cried, waving his arms around frantically to try and clear the smoke.

Connan laughed, stepping forward and grabbing Han's hood. She yanked him backward to stand next to her.

"Having trouble?" She asked, grinning at Han with a sickly-sweet smile. She winked at him and laughed all the harder.

The panel sizzled and sent a giant spark up toward them. Han yelped as it shocked him and he jerked reflexively. His arm knocked into Connan, pushing her backward.

Right off the ship.

Connan was more surprised than anything. She'd expected to step on the ship, and gave a small cry of astonishment when she was met with air. She could hear other people crying out and calling her name, as if she didn't know she was falling.

Connan closed her eyes and pushed against the ground with the Force, doing the same as she reached her right hand up and held onto the _Millennium Falcon_. With her left arm facing the ground, she shoved herself upward and used her right arm to pull herself back toward the ship. She landed on her feet a few meters from Han.

A round of applause sounded throughout the room. A few soldiers whistled.

Han stared blatantly, with his jaw hanging down. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her all the way around, looking for broken bones. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine." Connan replied, trying to act nonchalant when really her nerves were all shot. "I didn't feel like splattering across the ground, so I came back up."

"But you were—that was—how did—"

"Speak one sentence at a time, Han. It's easier to understand you." Connan interrupted, breathing hard from the adrenaline.

"That's not funny." Han replied.

"Connan, that's not funny!" Carth echoed from below. "Are you all right? Get back down here right now!"

"Coming!" Connan called. She glanced at Han. "Well, this was short. I guess I'll be back later."

Han shook his head and chuckled nervously. "Just don't die before then."

Connan stuck out her tongue. She headed for the hatch on the top of the ship. "I'll take the safer way this time, though."

When she came to the ground Carth wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"Damn it, Connan, you're going to kill me, I know it." He said, half snarling and half relieved. "Are you hurt?"

"Of course not." Connan replied. "A little jittery, maybe, but I pulled myself back up onto the ship. I didn't even know I could do that."

"Why didn't you just land on your feet? I've seen you bounce back from _much _bigger falls than that." Carth asked, leading Connan out of the hangar.

"Are you kidding?" Connan asked, rolling her eyes. "I'd get sick trying to flip over enough to land on my feet, and there's no _way _I'm throwing up in front of everyone."

Carth frowned. "And jerking yourself back up onto the ship didn't make you sick?"

Connan shook her head. "I don't think so…."

"Well let's call it an early day, just in case." Carth decided. "The last thing we need is for you to be sick for tomorrow."

Connan laughed again as they exited the hangar. "The one chance R7 will ever have of saving my life and he's not even around. I'm going to pester him for weeks about this."

**XXXXX**

**I had most of this written last week but I had a friend come over for the whole week so I had to finish it this week while she was at church. She's spending another week here while we're doing band camp. Fun fun.**

**Not much to write about. Sorry about the filler chapter. I didn't want to make it uber long or anything. Next week will be the Battle of Hoth, which will be pretty fun to write, I have to admit.**

**Although I might not get it done next week. I have to do nursery for the drooling brats of our church, which will just piss me off for the whole day, and then I have to pack for our four-day Hell Week we like to call Band Camp in Hill College. I might not get it posted until next next week.**

**No worries, though. It will be done!!**

**I'm on chapter 12 and I'm 00:21:57 of the way through. I'll be back if not this week, then the next!!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	9. Strike

"_**Kindled once more with stinted heaping force, they send  
**__**The beard of flame to hugeness, passing far beyond  
**__**The promontory that gazes on the Saronic strait  
**__**And flaming far, until it plunged at last to strike  
**__**The steep rock of Arachnos near at hand, our watchtower."  
**_—_**Agamemnon**_

**Chapter Nine: Strike**

"Luke isn't going to meet back up at the rendezvous point, is he?" Mission asked Connan earlier the next morning. Mission sat down at the table in their makeshift cantina next to her friend and handed her a cup of coffee. "Whenever I talk about it he gets very distant."

Connan rubbed her eyes and thought before she answered. It was still very early in the morning, and the only reason she was up was because she'd been sick for hours. She'd left for the cantina at around four in the morning so she wouldn't wake up Carth with her morning sickness. The Force knew the man had been working as hard as anyone trying to come up with a plausible plan of evacuation. Instead of waking the poor man up, Connan had sought out Mission. After taking one look at Connan's green, disheveled expression, Mission was up and out of bed and leading her to the cantina.

"No," Connan finally replied. "He's not."

"Where's he going?"

"He's going to the Dagobah system, to find Yoda." Connan answered. She sipped at her drink. "Obi Wan figured that Yoda would be able to teach Luke better than _I _could, so he's sending him there to learn how to be a Jedi."

"Ah," Mission nodded aimlessly, shifting around in her seat. "I see."

"You're fidgeting." Connan observed.

"Is it bothering you?" Mission asked, stilling herself at once. "I'm sorry. I—"

"It's not bothering me," Connan replied, frowning. "But it's uncharacteristic. Is everything all right? Is there something you want to ask?"

Mission nodded, biting her lip. "I want to ask you something."

**XXXXX**

Connan stepped into her room a few hours later and shut the door. She strode over to the bed and couldn't stop a smile from enveloping her face.

Carth slept on his side, hugging Connan's pillow close to him. He had a slight frown on his face, like his subconscious knew this wasn't Connan but decided it would settle for it.

"Wake up, Carth. I have to talk to you." Connan said quietly, slipping onto the bed and tugging her pillow away from him. His arms immediately went around her waist and pulled her closer, resting his head on her lap. Connan chuckled. "Seriously, Carth. Up you get."

Carth mumbled something in his sleep and wrapped his arms tighter around Connan's waist.

Connan ran her hands through Carth's hair and sighed. "Come on, now. You don't want to miss the action, do you?"

Carth sat up and pulled at Connan, twisting them both around until he was lying comfortably on top of her. He kissed the top of her nose.

Connan laughed. "Wrong kind of action."

Carth hummed, lazily kissing her eyelids and cheeks, slowly making his way down to her neck. "Not in my book."

Connan's chuckle turned into a gasp as Carth gently bit her earlobe. She sighed and shrugged. "You're the general."

An hour later Carth and Connan left their room wearing clean, pressed clothes and sporting large smiles. Connan also featured a very bright blush, making Carth's grin larger.

Connan snapped her fingers and gasped as they turned into another hallway, startling an officer walking past them. "That's right; I have to talk to you!" Connan slapped Carth's arm as they made their way toward the hangar. "You made me forget."

"Is that a compliment or a rebuke?" Carth replied, slipping his arm around Connan's waist and grinning.

Connan stuck her tongue out at him. "Neither, you suck-up." She rolled her eyes. "We need to talk about Mission."

Carth raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What about Mission?"

**XXXXX**

"Look, check that panel." Connan pointed to the droid. "The problem might be in there."

"What's wrong?" Han asked as Connan sat herself down next to him and opened up another panel of wiring.

"The hyperspace engine has a few ticks in it, and during yesterday's spark show it began flashing funny colors." Connan shook her head. "I'm hoping we can get that fixed before anything bad happens."

Han replied with a grunt and went back to work, leaving Connan to watch the interaction going on between Chewbacca and Luke, who had just appeared in his orange flight suit.

"Chewie, you take care of yourself, okay?" Luke scratched at Chewbacca's neck and smiled. Chewbacca growled back fondly and pulled Luke into a large hug. "Okay, okay!"

"Hi, kid." Han called from the top of the _Millennium Falcon_.

The droid came back toward Connan and mumbled something. "What? There's got to be a reason for it. Check it at the other end."

"Wait a second." Han interrupted. The droid came to a halt with an exasperated cry. Han turned back to Luke and stared at him. "You all right?"

Luke shrugged. "Yeah." He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something more, then closed it and kept smiling.

"Be careful." Han cautioned.

"You, too." Luke replied.

Connan patted Han on the shoulder and climbed down the side of the ship to Luke. "Hey, Luke." Luke stopped and turned around to face her. "Could you do me a favor?"

Luke frowned but nodded. "Sure. What is it?"

Connan pulled a datapad out of her bag and handed it to Luke. "Could you give this to Yoda when you find him?"

Luke took the datapad and stared at it. "Of course I will."

Connan grinned and pulled Luke into a hug. "Thanks, Luke. And remember, if you ever really, _really_ need me, I'm just a thought away."

Luke laughed and rolled his eyes at Connan. "I didn't think you were into the sentimental goodbyes."

Connan shook her head. "I was being serious."

Luke frowned. He opened his mouth to ask something when Mission ran in between them.

"Carth wants you in the control room now, Connan. It's time to get the show on the road." She stated.

"Excellent." Connan winked at Luke and turned to hug Mission as tightly as she could. "Don't die just because it won't kill you, okay Mish?"

"Cross my heart."

**XXXXX**

"General Onasi! There's a fleet of Stardestroyers coming out of hyperspace in Sector Four."

He nodded. "Reroute all power to the energy shield. We've got to hold them until all transports are away." Carth stated. He turned to Connan, who had just walked into the control room. "Prepare for ground assault."

"Are the men already assembled?" Connan asked.

Carth motioned toward Leia, who stepped forward. "Leia will take you there now."

Leia took Connan's hand and began dragging her down the hall.

"Starkiller landed just a few moments ago. He'll be joining us with the men." Leia informed as she walked. "There are _many_ Imperial Walkers out there, Connan, and if we don't get some of them taken out they'll decimate us before we can all escape."

"Got it." Connan replied. "We're to take out as many as we can before the retreat."

As Leia and Connan pushed their way through the group of men assembled in a huge circle, Connan spotted Luke and nodded at him.

"Very good, men." Connan looked around.

"All troop carriers will assemble at the north entrance. The heavy transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded." Leia started.

"Only two fighter escorts per ship." Connan finished. "The energy shield can only be opened for a short time, so you'll have to stay very close to your transports."

"Two fighters against a Stardestroyer?" One pilot asked.

"The ion cannon will fire several shots to make sure that any enemy ships will be out of your flight path." Leia replied. "When you're gotten past the energy shield, proceed directly to the rendezvous point."

"Does everyone understand?" Connan asked. A chorus of "yeahs" rang out. "Then good luck."

"All right," Galen Marek called from beside Luke. "Everyone to your stations. Let's go!"

"It's been a while," Connan stated with a smile as she hugged Galen.

He hugged her back briefly before pulling back and smirking. "It has."

"So where are Juno and Proxy?" Connan asked, looking around for them.

"A few planets off from here. I came alone." Galen replied. "Juno isn't in any sort of condition to fight, so I told Proxy to protect her."

"What's wrong with Juno?" Connan asked.

Galen glanced at her from the corner of his eyes and smiled impishly. "She's pregnant."

Connan grinned. "Is she? Congratulations!"

Galen let out a sigh. "I should have known you wouldn't have disapproved." At Connan's frown Galen explained. "From what I hear, Jedi are usually against feelings such as love, or lust, or any of the more enjoyable emotions."

"Oh, no. I'm nothing like the Jedi in that respect, I assure you." Connan rolled her eyes. "Come on, Galen. I'm not a hypocrite."

Galen blinked. "What?"

Connan just smiled. "I should get going." She stated. "Carth is probably wondering where I am, and we can't very well start this retreat until I get to the control room."

"I guess I'll see you again at the rendezvous point." Galen stated.

Connan nodded. "We'll be there."

**XXXXX**

"Their primary target will be the power generators." Carth stated, staring at the map in front of him. Leia stood to his left, watching him closely, and to his right Connan had suddenly appeared. This was just fine with him, he decided. The closer Connan was to him, the calmer he would be. "Prepare to open shield."

The map in front of them was fairly simple to read. The red triangles were the enemies and the green triangles were the Rebels. The giant red triangle moving closer and closer to the slightly smaller green triangle and the two tiny green triangles next to it was a Stardestroyer.

"Stand by, ion control." The woman officer on the other side of the map ordered. Connan, Carth, and Leia stared at the map, scouting out different tactics that could be used. "Fire."

The Stardestroyer stopped moving on the screen, and the three green Rebel ships—the transport and two fighters following—slipped past and shot off into space.

Connan cheered, turning on the intercom and holding the microphone close. "The first transport is away. The first transport is away!"

Connan then sat herself down at a desk in front of a different screen and put on a set of headphones. "All airspeeders report in."

After listening to a quick roll call, Connan began giving instructions. "Take out as many of those Walkers as you can, soldiers. Commanders Marek and Skywalker are in charge."

There was static, and then another voice cut in. _"Echo Station Three-T-Eight, we've spotted Imperial Walkers."_

"Imperial Walkers on the north ridge!" Carth called out a moment later.

"_We're on it." _Galen called through his headset.

"_Echo Station Five-Seven. We're on our way." _Luke replied. _"All right, boys, keep tight now."_

"The second transport is away!" Carth called.

"_Attack pattern Delta."_ Luke called. _"Go now!"_

Shots were fired. The red circles indicating Imperial Walkers weren't even phased as the airspeeders revolved around them, firing away.

"Luke, that armor's too strong for blasters." Connan stated. "Try something unorthodox."

"_Rogue Group, use your harpoons and tow cables!" _Galen called.

"_Go for the legs. It might be our only chance of stopping them."_ Luke finished.

A shot was fired at Luke's airspeeder, and Connan heard someone cry out. "Luke?" She called. "Luke, say something."

"_I'm here." _Luke replied. _"Rogue Three. Do you copy?"_

"_Copy, Rogue Leader._" Came the reply.

"_Wedge, I've lost my gunner. You'll have to make this shot. I'll cover for you."_

"Rogue Three," Connan interrupted. "Aim for the legs and get it as tight at you can. Those legs are meant to hold up weight. They probably can't take much pressure from the sides."

"_Copy, Echo Base."_

"_Set your harpoon. Follow me on the next pass." _Luke ordered.

"_I'm following you, Rogue Leader_." Wedge replied.

Connan watched Rogue Three pass beneath the legs of a Walker. "Careful, Rogue Three!"

"_Activate harpoon."_ Wedge called. Then he laughed. _"Good shot, Janson."_

Wedge spun around the Walker a few times. _"Detach cable!"_

The cable let go. The Walker took another step forward, got caught in the wires around its feet, and fell over.

"Fire at the neck joint!" Connan called.

The Walker exploded the next moment.

"_Hah! That got him!" _Wedge called.

"_I see it, Wedge. Good work." _Luke replied.

"_We're taking a lot of damage, Connan." _Galen stated.

Connan sighed. "I know. We've only taken out one Walker so far."

"_There's an easier way to do this, you know." _Galen suggested. _"Let me land. I'll take out a few of them."_

Connan thought about it. _"Do it. Keep your comm. link on. All other airspeeders keep trying. Don't retreat until I give the word." _

Connan took off her headset and stood to meet Carth and Leia. "I don't think we can protect two transports at a time." Carth stated.

"It's risky but we can't hold out much longer." Leia replied. The base shook as if it had been shot upon. "We have no choice."

"The airspeeders haven't been able to do much at all. Those Imperial Walkers are impervious to blaster shots. We've only taken out one so far." Connan supplied. "I should have gone out there with them."

"I wouldn't have let you." Carth said forcefully. "There's no sense in your going out as a distraction. You're trying to stay _out _of needless fights, remember?"

"Right, right." Connan waved off the thought. She turned to the officer next to her. "Evacuate the remaining ground staff." She ordered.

Carth stood next to Connan. "What's the report on the airspeeders?"

**XXXXX**

R2-D2 let himself be lifted up to the top of the X-Wing being prepped for Luke's arrival.

"_Don't get yourself killed out there," _R7-B3 reminded. _"The galaxy is running out of intelligent utility droids." _

"R2, you take good care of Master Luke now, understand?" C-3PO ordered to the smaller droid.

"_Of course I'll take care of him!" _R2 replied.

"And do take good care of yourself." C-3PO asked.

"_What are you talking about? We're going to be fine!" _R2 shook his head.

"Hang on, guys." Mission called, running up to the X-Wing. "There's been a change of plan, officer. This isn't Luke's X-Wing anymore."

The technician setting R2-D2 in his place frowned. "Ma'am? Which fighter is Commander Skywalker taking?"

Mission jabbed her thumb behind her. "He'll be taking the R-22 Spearhead. I've got the orders right here." Mission handed the confused technician the datapad she'd acquired from Carth that morning.

"_What are you up to, I wonder?" _R7 asked. Mission simply winked at him. R7 spun his head around in an impression of rolling his eyes. _"No matter. I'm heading back to the _Falcon _before the fighting really gets going." _He turned around and sped off.

The technician looked over the orders very carefully. "Very well, then. Let's get you moved, little droid." He handed the datapad back to Mission and lifted R2 out of his space.

"Forgive me, Master Mission, but why was there a change in starfighters?" C-3PO asked.

Mission shrugged. "The Spearhead is a two-seater, that's why."

**XXXXX**

Connan braced herself as the command center shook again. She put her headset back on and glanced at the screen. Where there were once nine Imperial Walkers, only four remained.

"Galen, where are you?" Connan called.

"_I'm here," _Galen huffed. _"I've taken out three of them so far."_

"You're going to hurt yourself, Galen. Pull back."

"_Copy that." _

"_Hobbie! I've been hit!" _Luke cried out.

Connan's eyes immediately found Luke's airspeeder. It was jammed into the ground, not three feet from a Walker's legs.

"Luke get out of there."

"_Not without Dak."_

"Luke, there's another Walker headed right toward you!"

Luke reached in for his lightsaber and jumped back out of the airspeeder just as the Walker stepped on it. _"I'm all right," _He called.

"Good." Connan sighed. "Don't scare me like that."

Luke was silent for a moment. _"I'm going to try to take one out."_

"Connan, we've got to start heading out." Carth called from behind her. He placed a hand on her arm and tugged.

"Luke, I'm giving you five minutes and if you're not heading back toward the base by then, so help me Gods I'll—"

"_Okay, _mother." Luke drawled.

Connan rolled her eyes. "All other airspeeders retreat!"

As Connan turned off the comm. link another shake rattled the base. Carth's grip of Connan tightened and he held on to her to keep her balanced. The base shook so hard one of the screens cracked and crumbled to the ground.

Connan stared at the broken pieces on the ground and nodded. "That's not a bad idea."

Carth turned toward another console and turned it on, issuing orders as fast as possible. Connan made her way toward Leia and began discussing last-minute strategies.

Han broke through the doorway, staring at Leia. "Are you all right?" He asked.

Leia turned around and instantly turned exasperated. "Why are you still here?"

"Heard the command center had been hit." Han replied, jumping over a fallen computer to reach Leia.

"You've got your clearance to leave." Leia stated, turning back to Connan and the screen they were currently studying.

"Don't worry. I'll leave." Han growled. "First I'm going to get you to your ship."

"Your Highness, we must take this last transport." C-3PO urged. "It's our only hope."

Connan stood and bolted to the other side of the command room toward Carth, with Leia following. "Send all troops in Sector Twelve to the south slope to protect the fighters."

"We need to distract them long enough for the foot soldiers to escape." Leia finished.

The console on the other side of the room exploded, nearly knocked C-3PO off his feet. Han caught him and sat him back up.

"_Imperial troops have entered the base. Imperial troops have entered—"_ Static.

Just to be sure, Connan reached out with her mind and felt around. Then she sighed. Yes, Vader was there, all right.

Han reached for Leia. "Come on. That's it. All of you."

Leia hesitated. "Give the evacuation code signal."

Carth nodded. "We're coming."

"Right." Han gripped Connan's arm and dragged her along with him.

"Afraid I'm going to stay behind in one last gallant effort to save everyone?"

"I'm actually more concerned about you going to meet those Imperial Stormtroopers." Han replied.

Behind them, Carth laughed. "I am, too."

"Oh! Wait for me!" C-3PO cried.

Han passed Connan off to Carth, who kept a hold of her hand like it was a lifeline, and instead took Leia. Han maneuvered them through the destroyed hallways and to the hangar with the last transport waiting for them.

Then the hallway caved in right in front of them. Leia shrieked, making Connan gasp in surprise. Han shoved Leia behind him and shielded her. Carth jerked Connan backward into his arms and spun them around.

When the cave-in stopped, Connan turned back around and stared. The hallway was completely blocked by ice and concrete.

"I could blast our way through." She suggested.

"No," Han shook his head. "You'd be blasting through the rest of the entire hallway. There's no point." He pulled out his comm. link. "Transport, this is Solo. Better take off. I can't get to you. I'll get them out on the _Falcon_."

Han hauled Leia up and bolted back down the hallway with Carth and Connan following closely. They passed an exasperated looking C-3PO, who cried out when he saw them go by.

"B-b-but where are you going?" He asked. "Come back!"

In her head, Connan could feel Vader getting closer and closer. He'd made it into the control room. He was probably looking at all the destruction that had been caused, and maybe he was feeling angry because there was no possible way to get any information out of any of the machines because of the damage. Maybe he'd even figured out that most of it was done by Connan before they left.

Han pushed Leia through a door, and Connan bolted after them, pulling Carth along with her. Behind them, she could still head C-3PO begging them to slow down.

"Wait!" He called. "Wait for me! Wait! Stop!"

Then the door closed behind them and Connan couldn't hear anything. Feeling a little bit of remorse, Connan opened the door back up and yanked him inside.

"Come on!" She growled.

Inside the hangar a frantic Chewbacca ran around, throwing his arms in the air. Beside him R7 sped about worriedly.

"**Come on! We've got to get going!" **He called.

"_You're going to get us all killed if you don't hurry up!" _R7 agreed.

Carth broke into a dead run, speeding ahead of Connan and dragging her along with him. Connan turned back to look at C-3PO, who had once again fallen behind.

"Hurry up, goldenrod!" She cried.

Han turned around at the ramp and groaned. "You're going to be a permanent resident!"

Carth hauled Connan up the ramp and smashed the button. The ramp began rising just as C-3PO bent over to step inside the ship.

Inside the cockpit, the engine stalled. Carth groaned and took off running again, this time leaving Connan to her own devices. Connan bolted off toward the main hold and found Han fixing more controls.

"How's this?" He asked.

Chewbacca cried out that that wasn't enough. Han sighed and kept going.

"Would it help if I got out and pushed?" Leia snarled.

Han whirled around and made eye contact with Leia, glaring at her menacingly. "It might."

"Sir, might I suggest that you—" C-3PO was cut off by Han as he held a finger up to shush him and brushed past him. "It can wait."

Connan made it to the cockpit just after Han. He flipped a switch to power up the cockpit. The cockpit sprang to life one moment and flickered out the next. Han turned around and smashed his fist against the doorframe console and it came back to life.

"This bucket of bolts is never going to get us past that blockade." Leia snapped.

"So pessimistic." Connan shook her head as she seated herself in one of the back seats.

"This baby's got a few surprises left in her, sweetheart." Han stated, turning the turrets on and sitting in the pilot's seat. Chewbacca ran inside and sat in the copilot seat. Han turned and snapped at him. "Come on, come on! Switch over. Let's hope we don't have a burnout."

Han groaned as the Stormtroopers out in the hangar began setting up their own turrets.

"I got it." Connan called. She stood and raised her hands. The turrets came up with them. She threw them back against the wall, taking out as many Stormtroopers as possible in the process.

The engines fired to life. "See?" Han asked excitedly.

"Someday you're going to be wrong and I just hope I'm there to see it." Leia swore.

Han ignored her in favor of watching the Stormtrooper turrets become decimated. "Punch it!" He ordered.

The ship lurched forward, and Connan gave one last, strong push outside the ship, sending all the Stormtroopers flying against the wall. As the ship rose in the air, Vader walked into the room and watched their departure.

Connan could have sworn she could see Vader smiling behind the mask. Then, _"Well done, Connan. But you won't last long against the Sith fleet."_

Connan paled, nearly falling over backward, if Carth hadn't been there to catch her. She swallowed thickly.

This time, however, instead of staring dumbly into space, Connan answered back.

"_Catch me if you can, Anakin."_

**XXXXX**

Luke was _beyond _proud of himself. He'd been watching Starkiller (it still felt strange to call him _Galen _after all this time of calling him _Starkiller_) take down Walker after Walker by himself, simply by using the Force, and Luke began to make up his own ways of taking out Walkers.

When his chance came to actually take one down, he couldn't help himself. He'd pulled out his ascension gun and used it to drag himself up to the underbelly of the Walker. Then, using his lightsaber, he sliced open a section of the Walker and threw in a thermal detonator. As quickly as possible, he'd unhooked himself from the Walker and landed on the ground.

Only a second after he'd managed to land and get himself out of the way, the Walker exploded.

Luke grinned as he made his way down the snow-covered land and over toward the waiting X-wings.

"R2?" He called. "Where are you?"

R2-D2 beeped in response. Luke turned to his droid and frowned. "Why are you inside the Spearhead?"

R2 began talking rapidly; much too rapidly for Luke to understand without a console to translate. He shook his head. "Wait. Slow down and say it again."

"He's basically saying to just get inside the Spearhead and don't ask questions." Mission's voice startled Luke. He whirled around to face her and stared.

"Mission?" He asked. "Weren't you supposed to leave with the others?"

Mission shook her head. "There's been a change of plan." She walked past Luke and climbed inside the Spearhead. "Now get in. There's not much more time until the Imperial fleet finds this spot, and Connan won't be very happy if we get captured right off the bat."

"But Mission—"

"Luke, just _get in_; I'll explain when we're off."

Still a bit confused, Luke jumped inside the Spearhead and strapped himself in.

"Good luck, you two! See you back at the rendezvous." Called another officer.

"Right." Mission grimaced. "Come on, Luke!"

"Don't worry, Mission. We're going. We're going." Luke closed the top of the Spearhead and took the controls.

A few minutes later, while flying through space, R2 broke the silence they'd held.

"_Is something wrong? These aren't the coordinates to the rendezvous point."_

"There's nothing wrong, R2." Mission stated. "He's just setting a new course."

"_What about regrouping with Han and everyone else?" _R2 asked.

Luke sighed. "We're not going to regroup with the others."

Mission nodded. "We're going to the Dagobah system."

Luke cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? So you knew?"

"Of course I knew. I'm Connan's best friend." Mission scoffed. "I know everything she knows." Then she shrugged. "Mostly. I don't know how to do that cool lightning-out-of-your-hands trick, or any other Force powers, but other than that we're on the same page."

"And?" Luke prompted.

"Connan and I discussed it this morning, and she okayed it with Carth." Mission shrugged again, looking out into space. "I've always wanted to meet Master Yoda."

Luke grinned. "All right, then."

**XXXXX**

**Yay I finally finished! It ended up being seventeen pages this way. I'd written it one way where Connan and Galen ride out on swoops to decimate the Walkers, but then that didn't sound good when I wrote it, so I started it over again with them leading the airspeeders around. That didn't sound too good, either, since I had to get Connan back to the **_**Falcon**_**. So I ended up with this strategy here. I'm sorry if some people feel a little left out, but that's the way it is. Don't worry; there will be plenty of chances for Connan to destroy things and generally mess everyone over.**

**Nothing much to talk about. Band Camp was pure murder, as always, and the follow week of waking up at 6:00 in the morning wasn't too fun, either. But in a way it still is. I now understand a lot of things the Seniors did that I never understood before. Now there's only a week until school starts and I can't wait! Summer gets so boring after a while.**

**No matter. I'm on chapter 19 and I'm 0:36:50 of the way through. Now that Hoth is over (that place takes a long time to **_**watch, **_**let alone **_**write**_**) things should go fairly smoothly. I know what I'm going to do for the rest of the episode, and I have to say that I'm very anxious to get to some parts.**

**See you next week!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	10. Portents

"_**The godless conjunctions of the mating,  
**__**Murder-dabbled, have received no blessing.  
**__**Therefore never,  
**__**Never in vain  
**__**Has this sign come,  
**__**To the doers and their helpers! Portents for mortals  
**__**Are neither in terrible dreams nor in marvels,  
**__**If this night vision is not full of boded good."  
**_—_**Electra**_

**Chapter Ten: Portents**

"Are we there _yet_?" Mission asked for the tenth time, looking out the window and sighing.

"_No, we aren't." _R2-D2 stated. _"We still have many hours to go_."

Mission rapped her fingers against the window. "Can't we go any faster? It's too cramped in here to spend _many hours _doing nothing."

Luke frowned. "You weren't even looking at the translator. How do you know what he's saying?"

Mission shrugged. "Connan taught us all how to speak Astro. It's really not hard. It's a lot like Morse Code in verbal form, but with words. Not letters."

"So it's _nothing _like Morse Code."

Mission laughed. "I could teach you if you want."

"We'll see if we have time once we find Master Yoda." Luke glanced over at Mission. "Do you know how we're supposed to find him?"

"No." Mission shook her head. "Connan's mentioned him dozens of times, and her journals talk about him a lot, but Connan isn't the most descriptive of people. I know he's a male, and I know he's shorter than most people. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine."

Luke sighed. "This might be harder than I thought."

**XXXXX**

The ship shook, throwing Connan down into the seat next to Leia. She gripped Carth's hand and held on tightly.

Chewbacca in the copilot seat growled out in alarm. **"Han, those are Stardestroyers!"**

"I saw 'em, I saw 'em!" Han replied. He looked around ahead of them and sighed.

"Saw _what?_" Leia asked.

"Stardestroyers." Connan replied. "Two of them, coming right at us."

"There's a third one behind us." Carth chipped in.

"Sir! Sir!" C-3PO ran into the room. He prodded on Han's shoulder. "Might I suggest—"

"Shut him up or shut him down!" Han ordered, thrusting his thumb in C-3PO's direction. The ship shook again, knocking C-3PO into Chewbacca, who cried out angrily.

"Check the deflector shield." Han snapped.

Connan reached up to the headboard and quickly read the screen. "There _is _no deflector shield."

Han rolled his eyes. "Great."

"We can still outmaneuver them." Carth stated. He reached over Han's shoulders and jerked on the controls, spiraling them downward and around the Stardestroyers.

"I got it, I got it." Han swatted Carth's hands away. "Prepare to make the jump to light speed."

"But, _sir_!" C-3PO cried out.

"Han, they're getting closer." Leia prodded anxiously.

"Oh, yeah?" Han asked, a smirk in his voice. "Watch this." He reached over for the hyperdrive controls and switched them on.

A strained sound eminated from the hyperdrive and then it quit altogether.

Connan groaned. "Watch _what_?"

Han looked around and hung his head. "I think we're in trouble."

Connan stood up. "Not yet, we aren't."

"If I may say so, sir, I noticed earlier the hyperdrive motivator has been damaged." C-3PO talked as fast as he could, fearing an interruption. "It's impossible to go to light speed."

"_Now_ we're in trouble." Connan sped down the hallway, followed closely by Han. Carth leapt around Leia and sat in the pilot's seat, taking the controls.

Inside the main hold Connan ripped open the floor and made to jump down inside the system.

Han yanked her back and jumped in himself. He landed on a horizontal beam and sat down as delicately as possible. "I don't think so." He stated. "Nice try, though."

Connan snarled. "Check the horizontal boosters." She replied. She ran to the storage box behind the seats and pulled out the toolbox.

"No," Han stated.

"Alluvial dampers?" Connan asked, opening the toolbox and rummaging through.

Connan heard a zapping noise and then a clang. "Ow!" Han cried out. "That's_ definitely _not it. Bring me the hydrospanner!"

Connan leapt over to the hole made in the floor and brought out the appropriate item. She even brought the rest of the toolbox to help speed things along.

Han stood up and snatched the hydrospanner from her. "I don't know how we're going to get out of this one."

Connan patted his head. "We'll get out of it. I could always make the Stardestroyers blow up, I suppose."

Han frowned. "You can do that?"

Connan shook her head. "Not normally. It gives me a massive headache and frankly, I don't think I could control that much power at once. But if bad goes to worse, it's an option."

Han shook his finger at her and stared right into her eyes. "No last resorts."

Connan saluted. "Yes, Captain."

The ship shook again as Han went back down into the ship itself. The toolbox—which had been placed precariously close to the edge of the hole made—fell into the hole and crashed into Han's head.

"_Ow!" _Han shouted. He came back up rubbing his head. "Connan!"

Connan opened her mouth to reply when the ship was hit again. The ship wobbled and made a _thud _sound, jolting Connan around and rattling her teeth.

Han frowned. "That wasn't a laser blast. Something hit us."

"Connan, Han, you'd better get up here." Carth called.

"**Come quick!" **Chewbacca added.

Connan pulled Han out of the hole and dragged him back into the cockpit.

"Asteroids." Leia stated as soon as they entered.

Han paled. "Oh, no."

Connan sighed. "Well, this just _can't _get any better, can it?"

Carth got out of Han's seat just as the man threw himself down. "Chewie, set two-seven-one."

Carth frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Han, wait." Connan replied. "You're not _actually _going into an asteroid field?"

Han shrugged. "They'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they?"

Han twirled the ship around to avoid crashing into an asteroid. Carth held Connan tightly to keep her still.

Leia looked horrified. "You don't have to do this to impress me."

"Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately three-thousand, seven-hundred twenty to one!" C-3PO moaned.

"Never tell me the odds." Han snapped.

Connan sighed. "Very well, then. I suppose I should help."

"How?" Leia asked.

Connan concentrated on a passing asteroid, stopping it in its tracks as it tried to move past. Suddenly it shot off in a different direction, smashing into one of the pursuing TIE fighters.

"You can move asteroids but not Stardestroyers?" Han asked, dodging around another asteroid.

Connan threw another one behind them. She wiped the sweat from her brow and breathed. "I'm not moving the larger ones, just the small ones that can take out the TIEs. Just don't crash." She paused to deflect an asteroid that would have smashed right through their hull. "This isn't as easy as it looks."

An asteroid nearly took them out as she spoke. Han blasted it with the turrets. The debris tore through the ship, jolting them around.

Han shrugged. "You said you wanted to be around when I made a mistake. This could be it, sweetheart."

"I take it back." Leia replied. "We're going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer."

Connan panted as she threw off another asteroid. "I can't take much more of this."

"Ain't going to argue with that." Han stated. "Connan, stop helping."

Connan was more than willing to comply. She threw one last asteroid out of the way and relaxed. Carth sat Connan down in the extra seat and turned to Han. "Move closer to one of the big ones." He suggested.

"_Closer_?" Leia repeated.

"Closer?" C-3PO groaned.

"**Closer?" **Chewbacca asked.

Han nodded. "Right. I get it."

Han swooped down into a large crater on one of the very large asteroids and flew into the canyon. The two TIE fighters left followed, chasing at top speed. Han turned the ship sideways at a particularly narrow point in the canyon and kept running.

The two TIE fighters crashed into each other, obliterating themselves as they bounced off one another and landed on the asteroid.

"Oh, this is suicide!" C-3PO groaned. "There's no where to go."

"There." Carth stated, pointing to a deep, downward crater. "That looks good."

"What looks pretty good?" Leia asked.

"Yeah," Han agreed. "That'll do nicely."

C-3PO nudged Connan's arm. "Excuse me, ma'am, but where are we going?"

No one replied. Han drove them headfirst into the crater.

Connan felt her senses cloud over themselves, like she was being completely engulfed in something large enough to dull her awareness. As the tunnel they dove into became darker and darker, so did Connan's Force sense. It felt as if someone had put a bag over her head, muffling the sounds around her and blinding her, although she could still hear and see perfectly.

She must have been really tired, though she never remembered her Force sense becoming dull or being overtaken simply because she was exhausted.

Connan gripped Carth's hand tightly instead of worrying herself about it. She was probably just worn out from deflecting all those asteroids. Carth squeezed her fingers back firmly.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Leia drawled.

"Yeah. Me, too." Han muttered.

When they landed, Connan stood up and stretched. "Well, we'd better go see what's happened to the hyperdrive. I bet R7's already working on it."

**XXXXX**

R2-D2 whistled.

"Yup, that's it. Dagobah." Luke replied. He nudged at Mission, who lay against the window, completely asleep. "Wake up, Mish. We're here."

Mission jolted awake. "We are? Already?" She looked down at the murky blue planet and frowned. "It _looks _like it's made completely of swamps, and we're not even in the atmosphere yet."

"_Guys, are you sure you don't want to head back around?"_

"No, I'm not going to change my mind about this." Luke replied.

"We're already here. What's the point in leaving?" Mission asked.

"_I guess you're right…."_

"I'm not picking up any cities or technology." Luke read. "Massive life-form readings, though."

"Good." Mission stated. "There's _something _alive down there."

"_Do you think it's all right for me down there?"_

Luke chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids."

They entered the atmosphere before Mission could open her mouth and retaliate. The Spearhead shook mightily, startling Mission into giving out a cry. The dashboard immediately fogged up, making it impossible to see out of. Mission swore.

"_We've got problems!" _R2 cried. _"Everything's shut off. I can't get anything back online."_

"I know, I know!" Luke called. "All the scopes are dead. I can't see a thing."

"Hang on tight, little guy." Mission called, bracing herself. "We're going to start the landing cycle."

Every time a branch or vine came into sight Mission flinched. She was torn between closing her eyes and keeping them open. She couldn't decide which to do, and ended up completely frozen, watching the white fog and hoping nothing would pierce through their Spearhead.

Then they hit the water.

"_Luke? Mission? Are you okay?" _R2 called. _"Luke? Mission?"_

Mission let out a sigh of relief. She opened up the hatch and crawled out of the Spearhead.

"Watch yourself." Luke called, doing the same. "We landed in the middle of a swamp."

Mission edged her way up to the nose of the starfighter and looked around.

"_Guys?" _R2 called as he lifted himself up out of his place on the ship. _"What do we do?"_

"You stay there, R2." Luke ordered, pulling off his helmet and setting it inside the Spearhead. "We'll have a look around."

Something bumped against the bottom of the starfighter, making Mission lose her balance for a moment. She knelt down to one knee and gripped the starfighter tightly, determined not to just _fall in_. Luke held his arms out and regained his balance quickly.

R2-D2 was knocked off and fell straight into the swamp.

"R2?" Luke called. He looked down into the water and waited for a reply. Nothing. "R2!"

Mission stared. "Connan's going to kill us."

"R2? Where are you?" Luke kept calling. "R2!"

R2's scanner popped up from beneath the water and looked around.

"_Wow! That was fun."_

Luke sighed, obviously exasperated. "You be more careful."

"_Me? Careful? Of course! I'm the epitome of careful. 'Careful' is my central code." _R2 hummed, happily making his way toward the wrong side of the ship.

Mission giggled. "R2! _That _way." She pointed behind them.

"_Huh?" _R2's scanner looked toward where Mission pointed. _"Oh. Right. I knew that."_

Luke sighed, staring at the swamp beneath them. "Well," He shrugged, staring at Mission. "I guess there's no choice."

Mission made a face, held her breath, and jumped into the swamp.

Luke was the first to get to the nearest moss-covered tree. He pulled himself up to the ground and turned to help haul Mission up. Once she was dragged safely out of the water she stood and shook her head, making her lekku whip out behind her.

"Ugh!" She groaned. "That was almost as bad as Gammorean snot."

Luke chuckled. "I don't even _want _to know."

Mission and Luke turned to inspect R2-D2's progress. The machine was nearly to them when it let out an alarmed cry and was dragged completely underwater.

"R2!" Luke called, pulling out his blaster and aiming at the water.

Mission slapped Luke's hand down. "Don't waste the ammo." She replied. "You wouldn't hit anything anyway."

The next instant R2 was spit forcefully out of the water and into the forest of trees. Luke and Mission took off after him.

"_Whoa," _R2 called. _"I don't feel so good."_

Luke and Mission followed R2's voice and found him nearly upside down, leaning against a tree root. He was covered from head to toe with mud and moss, and an icky green film glossed over his entire body.

"Oh, no." Luke groaned.

"R2, are you all right?" Mission asked, pulling the droid to sit upright. "Come on."

"You were lucky to get out of there." Luke commented.

"Anything broken?" Mission inquired, absentmindedly rubbing off some of the dirt caked onto R2's casing.

"_No, no, I'm fine_."

"If you're saying coming here was a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree with you." Luke replied. He sat down on the root next to R2. "Guys, what are we _doing _here?" He sighed and looked around. "It's like… something out of a dream or… I don't know." He wiped the mud off of R2's ocular lens. "Maybe I'm just going crazy."

R2 spat out a bunch of water, startling both Luke and Mission. Mission sighed, completely tired of being so jittery. "Come on, Luke. What kind of thinking is that? Sure, we're marooned on a swamp planet with nothing but our own supplies and a name, but we could be worse off."

Luke sighed. "How?"

Mission shrugged. "We could be stranded on the wrong planet." Luke snorted. "I'm being serious." Mission stated, crossing her arms. "Whoever we're looking for is _here_, and we're going to find him. Now, let's set up camp and try to get some rest, okay?"

Luke looked at Mission and glanced back at their crashed fighter. Then he sighed. "Might as well do something."

**XXXXX**

**Hah! You thought I wasn't going to update this week, did you? Well, I did! I just had to see Inglorious Basterds first. Anyone notice that they misspelled Bastards?**

**I started playing Mass Effect again! I tried to play it a long long time ago, but my brother commandeered the 360 before I could get past the becoming a Spectre part, so I just started over. So far, so good.**

**Not a lot to talk about this time around. Sorry it's so short, but the next part all has to be together, and I didn't want to split anything up. So I stopped here. It's not really filler, but it kinda is.**

**We had our first senior football game Friday. I'm trying to block it from my memory. We lost, 29-6. ((sigh)). It was very very very very bad.**

**Anyway, I'm on chapter 21 (almost halfway through!) and I'm 00:44:17 of the way through.**

**I'd **_**like **_**to see you all next week, but I will be at A-Fest 2009 in Dallas for the entire weekend. Depending on what time we get back on Monday, I'll try to update then.**

_**Amme Moto**_


	11. Grief of Memory

"_**Still there drips in sleep against the heart  
**__**Grief of memory; against  
**__**Our pleasure we are temperate."  
**_—_**Agamemnon**_

**Chapter Eleven: Grief of Memory**

"I'm going to shut everything down but the emergency power systems." Han reported.

"Good. It's easier to stay hidden that way." Connan replied, reaching forward to help.

Han swatted her hand away. "No machines for you. For the next couple of hours while we're working on the ship, _you _are going to sit quietly and eat something."

Connan glowered, making Carth sigh. He pulled Connan up and tugged her toward the doorway. "I'll stay with her. I'm good at entertaining her."

Connan opened her mouth to retort when C-3PO interrupted. "Sir, I'm almost afraid to ask, but does that include shutting me down, too?"

Han rolled his eyes. "No. I need you to talk to the _Falcon_. Find out what's wrong with the hyperdrive."

The ship lurched from side to side. Connan felt her stomach flip before the movement stopped.

There was silence as everyone looked around, keeping as still as possible, in case the ship started to move again.

"Sir, it's quite possible that this asteroid is not entirely stable." C-3PO stated.

Han whipped around to the droid. "Not entirely stable?" He repeated, acid practically dripping from his words. "Well, I'm glad you're here to tell us these things."

Connan snickered, covering her mouth with her hand when Han's glare reached her.

"Chewie, take the professor in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive." Han finished.

Chewbacca grabbed C-3PO's arm and dragged him out of the cockpit.

"Well!" C-3PO cried out, insulted. "Sometimes I just don't understand human behavior. After all, I'm only trying to do my job."

Carth pulled Connan out behind the Wookie and the droid. "Come on," He said. "You can sit on the couch and gripe at Han for doing his job wrong."

Connan grinned. "_That_ I like."

The ship shook again, causing the shelves in the hallway to rattle. Carth pushed Connan up against the wall and covered her, waiting for the shaking to stop.

"You okay?" He asked as it finally settled down. "You look a little green."

"I _feel _a little green." Connan replied, rubbing her eyes and walking into the main hold. "I think I'm going to make a pit stop to the refresher first."

Carth turned back to the cockpit to inform Han of Connan's condition. He stopped at the door when he saw Han sitting with Leia in his lap.

"Let go, _please_." Leia pleaded.

"Don't get excited." Han replied.

Leia rolled her eyes. "Captain, being held by you isn't quite enough to get me excited."

Han stood up, pushing Leia up with him, practically lifting her up off the ground as he did so. "Sorry, sweetheart." He winked at her. "We haven't got time for anything else."

Then he gave a smile, turned, and walked out of the cockpit, completely ignoring Carth. Leia snarled at the doorway before turning to the console and busying herself with work, every now and again muttering a swear word to herself.

Carth grinned.

**XXXXX**

"All right," Luke stated, dropping his bang and rummaging through them. "That should be the last of it."

"Good." Mission replied. She yanked the small power coupling Luke pulled out from his hands and turned to R2-D2. "Ready for some power?"

"_Sure am!"_

"All right!" Mission flicked the coupling on and plugged it up to R2. "There you go."

"Now all we have to do is find this Yoda." Luke sighed, rubbing his hands together. "If he even exists."

"_Relax._ He's here. You worry too much."Mission stated, dragging another bag toward her and pulling out its contents. "This sure is a strange place to find a Jedi Master, though." She opened up a food tray and began nibbling on the contents. She readjusted her lekku and shuddered.

Luke agreed. "This place gives me the creeps." He looked around aimlessly, setting his own food down and fiddling with his blaster. "Still, there's something familiar about this place."

"_Familiar?" _R2 looked around. _"This doesn't look _that much _like Tatooine."_

"What could possibly be familiar about this place?" Mission asked.

"I don't know," Luke shrugged. "I feel like—"

"—Feel like what?"

Luke shoved Mission out of the way, making her sprawl on the ground with an indignant shout, and aimed his blaster at the intruder. The stranger covered his face and looked away, cringing.

"Hey!" Mission cried.

"Like we're being watched." Luke finished.

Mission stared at the strange man sitting on the tree in front of her, wondering if he was really there or not. He looked almost _exactly _like Master Vandar, one of the Jedi Masters on the Council back in their own time—just as green, and _definitely _just as tiny. His long ears twitched back and forth at any new sounds. He sat on his haunches, though, and looked horribly old.

"Away put your weapon!" The small man cried. "I mean you no harm."

Mission felt a twinge of compassion. "Put the gun down, Luke."

Luke hesitantly lowered his blaster.

"I am wondering… why are you here?" The old man asked.

"We're looking for someone." Mission replied.

The old man raised an eyebrow. "Looking? Found someone you have, I would say, hmmm?" The small green man chuckled.

"Right." Luke snorted.

"Help you I can. Yes." The man persisted, clacking his cane against the tree trunk.

"I don't think so," Luke chuckled. "We're looking for a great warrior."

"Ah!" The man laughed, making his way down the tree trunk and toward their little camp. "A great warrior. Hah. Wars not make one great!"

Then he reached for Luke's dinner and took a bite.

"Hey! That's my dinner!" Luke cried, snatching the whole meal from the tiny man.

The man grumbled, spitting out what food he'd eaten. "How you get so big eating food of this kind?"

"_Hey, it's _you_!" _R2-D2 cried. _"You've been living _here _this whole time? Why didn't you tell anyone? Have I got a story for you—"_

"Listen, friend, we didn't mean to land in that puddle." Mission replied. "And if we could get our ship out, we would. But we can't, so why don't you just—"

"Cannot get your ship out!" The man repeated. Then he giggled.

"Hey!" Luke called. "Get out of there!"

The man had crawled into one of their boxes and was fiddling with the equipment. Luke snatched something from the man's hands, causing him to cry out like a child. Then he shrugged and kept looking.

"Hey, you could have broken this." Luke scolded. Then he sighed as he saw more things being chunked out. "Don't do that."

Mission couldn't help but laugh.

"Come on, old man. Are you nine or ninety?"

The man came out with a flashlight-sized lamp. "Neither! Nine-_hundred_." Then he shined the flashlight in Mission's eyes.

"I'm glad _you're _having a good time, Mission." Luke grumbled. "He's making a _mess_!"

"Then we'll pick it up." Mission grinned. "I like this guy."

"Give me that!" Luke demanded, reaching for the lamp.

"Mine!" The man snatched his arm away. "Or I will help you not."

Mission saw R2 reach out with his claw to snatch the lamp.

"I don't want your help. I want my lamp back." Luke retorted. "I'm going to need it to get out of this slimy mudhole."

"Luke!" Mission slapped him upside the head. "Mind your manners."

"Mudhole?" The man asked, incredulous. "Slimy? My _home _this is!"

R2 clamped onto the lamp and began tugging.

The man gave a shout of surprise and began pulling back with all his strength.

Luke sighed. "R2, let him have it."

The man reach for his cane and began hitting R2 on the head with it.

"Mine!" He shouted. "Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!"

"_Okay, okay!" _R2 finally conceded, letting go of the lamp.

The man stuck his tongue out.

"Now will you move along, little fellow?" Luke asked. "We've got a lot of work to do."

"No!" The man replied, moving toward Luke and Mission. "No, no. Stay and help you I will. Find your friend."

Luke sighed, completely exasperated. "I'm not _looking _for a friend."

Mission nodded. "We're looking for a Jedi Master."

The man's eyes widened. A flash of something not unlike regret passed through his eyes, but a moment later it was gone and the same impish look was back. "Oh. Jedi Master. Yoda. You seek Yoda!"

Luke knelt down to the man's height. "You know him?"

"Mmm-hmm." The man nodded. "Take you to him I will."

R2 beeped, completely confused. _"But I thought that—"_

"Yes, yes!" The man interrupted. "But now we must eat. Come. _Good _food. Come."

The man laughed as he walked on.

"Should we actually follow him?" Mission asked. "He seems two clicks off from a spaceport, if you ask me."

"He _did _say he knows we Yoda is." Luke replied. "Maybe he's telling the truth." He shrugged. "Maybe it's senility. But either way, it's the only lead we've got. We have no other options."

"Come!" The man cried from far off. For a small old man he certainly made good time. "Come."

"R2," Luke called. "Stay and watch after the camp."

"_What?!"_

Luke and Mission walked off, leaving an annoyed droid behind them.

"_Luke? Mission? You're not seriously going to leave me here, are you? I'm hooked up to a power coupling! How am I supposed to defend myself if I'm attacked by a monster or something? Guys? Well, in the words of C-3PO, 'I seem to be made to suffer'." _For a moment there was silence, then, _"Ah, who am I kidding? I love the danger."_

**XXXXX**

"_You are somewhere in the asteroid field, I know." _The voice rang through Connan's head. She only tensed in the slightest, causing Carth to frown and shift the position of his arms. _"Though our bond is not one that can show me your location, I will have you yet."_

Connan sent the impression of her sticking her tongue out to him.

"_How mature." _He responded.

Connan blew a raspberry at him.

"_The sad thing is this is more interesting than listening to my bumbling officers."_

Connan raised a thought-eyebrow. _"Is that a reminiscent tone I hear, Ani-boy?"_

Vader gave a growl. _"Not likely." _And then he was gone.

"Hey, Connan? Can you hear me?" Carth nudged her again.

They sat on the main hold couch, with Connan tucked neatly next to Carth. He slung an arm over her shoulders and she leaned her head onto his shoulder. At the moment he was staring down at her, his eyes narrowed in thought. Han stood in front of her, waved a hand a few inches from her nose.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm here." Connan replied. She gave him a small smile. "Really."

"You spaced out. We've been trying to get your attention for a full minute."

"Just thinking." Connan shrugged.

Carth raised an eyebrow. "That's some hard thinking."

"I'll get you some food." Han stated. "I managed to bribe someone into stocking up on those small lemon cakes before the battle."

Connan frowned. "But how did you know we were going to end up on your ship?"

Han rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding? Sometimes I think this ship is like a magnet for you." He sighed. "I'll be right back."

For a little while there was nothing. Connan dozed next to Carth and C-3PO examined the computer thoughtfully.

Finally the frustrated droid smacked the computer. "Oh, where is R2 when I need him?" C-3PO cried. He turned to Han, who had just returned to give Connan her food. "Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect."

"I didn't think ships could speak." Carth thought aloud.

"Makes you wary to say anything around the walls, doesn't it?" Connan laughed. "These walls really _do _have ears."

"I believe, sir, it says that the power coupling on the negative axis has been polarized. I'm afraid you'll have to replace it." 3PO finished.

"Sure, we'll just stop by the nearby store and pick one up." Connan chided.

Han inspected the coupling. "Well, of _course _we'll have to replace it." He walked toward the center of the main hold and held a coil of wires toward the ceiling. Chewbacca reached down from his place inside the ceiling and pulled the wires in. "Hey, Chewie?"

"**What?" **Chewbacca asked, leaning out of the ceiling panel slightly.

Han glanced back at C-3PO and turned back to Chewbacca. "I think we'd better replace the negative power coupling."

As he turned and walked out of the main hold, C-3PO simply stared at him in shock.

Connan laughed, leaning further against Carth and yawning. "I'm tired."

Carth shook his head. "It's almost midnight. You _should _be tired."

"Why are we still up?"

"You haven't said anything about wanting to go to bed yet."

"I'm saying something _now_." Connan replied.

"All right, all right." Carth answered. "Let's at least tell Han first, so he doesn't go on a rampage through the place looking for you."

**XXXXX**

Leia welded the two wires together carefully, so she didn't notice when Han came in. He watched as she took her protective glasses off and reset the panel she was working on, attempting to reset it back into place. She twisted the lever clockwise, but it wouldn't budge. Han reached around to try and help her. She shrugged him off violently.

"Hey, Your Worship, I'm only trying to help." Han groaned.

"Would you _please _stop calling me that?" Leia replied, twisting the lever one more time.

"Sure, Leia." Han nodded.

Leia sighed, trying to release her frustration. "You make it so difficult sometimes."

"I do." Han agreed. "I really do." He smirked. "You could be a little nicer, though. Come on. Admit it. Sometimes you think I'm all right."

Leia smashed her finger in her last try to twist the lever into place. She gave up and put her finger in her mouth. "Occasionally. Maybe." Han reached out and took Leia's hurt hand, gently rubbing on the damaged finger. Leia turned red. "When you're not acting like a scoundrel."

"Scoundrel?" Han repeated. Leia nodded. "Scoundrel? I like the sound of that."

Leia looked down at her hand and back up at Han. "Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Stop _that_. My hands are dirty." Leia persisted.

"My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?"

"Afraid?" Leia asked, puffing up as if challenged.

Han leaned in close, ignoring how Leia seemed to move back against the wall. "You're trembling."

"I'm not trembling."

Han gave a half-smirk, leaning in closer. "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."

"I happen to like nice men."

"I'm a nice man."

"No, you're not. You're—"

Han didn't let her finish. He closed the distance between them, capturing Leia in a kiss. She leaned in closer to him, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull him closer. Han did the same, tugging her by the waist to try and deepen the kiss.

"Sir, sir!" C-3PO called.

Han opened his eyes. He felt the droid poking at his shoulder excitedly. "I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling!"

Han turned around slowly and placed his hands on the doorframe. "Thank you." He said in a sickly-sweet way. "Thank you _very _much."

With all his attention of 3PO, Han missed Leia's guilty face. She bit her lip and ran off through the other door before Han could notice.

"Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir." C-3PO acknowledged, not catching Han's sarcasm at all.

Han turned around just as Leia left the room. He stared after her and sighed.

**XXXXX**

Carth came back into the main hold, where Connan was currently leaning against the wall waiting for him. "Well? What did Han say?"

"I didn't tell him." Carth replied, trying to hold back his laughter as he ushered Connan out of the room.

"What? Why not?" Connan asked. "Why are you laughing?"

"He seemed to be preoccupied." Carth continued, letting out a barking laugh as Connan mentioned it.

"Preoccupied? Preoccupied how?" Connan asked. Carth didn't answer. _"Carth_!"

"I'll tell you later." Carth replied. "I've been told these walls have ears."

**XXXXX**

**Yeah. That's right. I wrote another filler chapter.**

**Not like there's anything much going on in this part of the movie, anyway. This chapter was mostly about Han and Leia and Luke and Yoda, anyway.**

**I just went to Virmire on Mass Effect! How **_**sad **_**is that? I was so sad I had to stop playing for a whole half hour before I could start again. I can't believe I killed Ashley. I liked her. I used her and Kaiden up until that point. Now I wish I hadn't. -.-;;**

**Oh, and after I finished writing this chapter I went and actually beat the rest of the game. Then I started the same game over again as the same person. How awesome is **_**that**_**, by the way? Mass Effect is now one of my all-time favorite games. I'm going to buy my own 360 so when ME2 comes out I'll have my own system to play it on and I won't have to wait on Sam.**

**Our homecoming was canceled because of rain. Well, flooding rain, thunder and really, really close lightning. YES!! Band members have a hatred of homecoming that is unmatched in anything else. We were all so happy.**

**So anyway, I'll be back next week with some actual action. Then the ball gets rolling. I've got tons of ideas for the end of this fic. I just have to pick one.**

**Until next time, I'm on chapter 25 and I'm 00:52:14 of the way through. See you later!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	12. Fatally Named

"_**Who is he that named you so  
**__**Fatally in every way?  
**__**Could it be some mind unseen  
**__**In divination of your destiny  
**__**Shaping to the lips that name  
**__**For the bride of spears and blood,  
**__**Helen, which is death?"  
**_**_—Agamemnon_**

**Chapter Twelve: Fatally Named**

Carth woke the next morning to an empty bed. That didn't faze him much. He figured Connan was in the refresher, or maybe in the main hold, getting something to eat. It wasn't like she could go anywhere inside the asteroid. He wouldn't have to worry about her being off-ship somewhere for a while now.

Still, he did wish she would have been there when he woke up. He spent a lot of the night watching her sleep, and he would have liked to be the one to wake her up.

Oh, well. It was still early. He doubted Han was up. If he was lucky, he'd get some alone time with Connan before everyone woke up and she started to help fix the ship. He didn't think he could keep her from doing it today.

A loud noise came from the main hold, startling Carth. He rubbed his head and got up to check on what it was. As he got to the main hold he stared in shock, completely still for one moment before crying out.

Connan lay on the floor by the table, unconscious to the world.

**XXXXX**

A few moments before that, Connan sat at the table, dressed comfortably in her Revan Robes, sipping a cup of coffa. Carth wasn't up yet. Connan had woken early, more than a little green, and decided she couldn't go back to sleep. She stayed inside the main hold, because she knew Han slept in cockpit (if she could guess by his snoring) and Leia crashed with Chewbacca in the other dorm room.

So here she sat, waiting for the rest of the ship to wake up. After a while, she pulled a broken piece of equipment to her and began fiddling with it.

The first time the sparks flew out and gave Connan a light shock, her vision blurred. A heavy feeling sat upon her shoulders and weighed her down. She gripped the table as tightly as possible, but still overbalanced and hit the ground.

Her eyes glazed over and she didn't see the _Millennium Falcon _anymore.

She ended up looking down on the scene as if she were the ceiling. She saw a dark, cold room made completely of metal. The door on one end was shut tightly, and on the other side of the room it rounded off into a circle, surrounded by red-lit consoles.

The only reason she saw Darth Vader kneeling before the end of the room was because he moved. He blended it almost perfectly to the floor and took her by surprise. She was instantly on her guard.

"_What is thy bidding, My Master?" _Vader asked in his cold, mechanic voice.

The image of Darth Sidious suddenly appeared in front of Vader.

Connan suddenly wished she could move or talk, or do anything in her power to slight the Emperor. She'd spent a good four years of her life working to make sure he knew of her existence, and she would do anything to get him angry at her. If he got angry enough, he would come after her. If he came after her, she would….

Not that she really needed to do anything to him, really. He looked to be suffering enough. His face was sagged and pale (which wasn't so different from when she left him, really), and his eyes were a sickly yellow. He stared listlessly at Vader, and spoke in a slow, calculating voice.

"_There is a great disturbance in the Force." _He stated.

Vader bowed his head; the closest he could ever get to a nod. _"I have felt it."_

_That's right you felt it. I've been bugging you so much you should be able to _taste _it by now, _Connan thought.

The Emperor smirked. _"We have a new enemy. The young rebel who destroyed the Death Star."_

Luke? What would the Emperor want with Luke? Of course he'd been a pain in Vader's side, too, but what would give them cause to suddenly hunt for _him _instead of Connan?

Unless—

Unless Luke and Mission had found Yoda. If Luke opens himself up to the Force, and he's powerful enough for the Emperor to feel it, then of course he's going to look for and try to eliminate that power.

But the Emperor continued, making Connan deter her thoughts until he finished speaking.

"_I have no doubt this boy is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker."_

_Oh, no._

Connan could feel shock coursing through her, though she knew it to be Vader's. The shock caused him to hesitate before speaking.

"_How is that possible?"_

"_It seems our poor time-travelers have been more tight-lipped than we thought." _Sidious replied. When Vader kept silent he nodded his head sadly. _"Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You will know it to be true."_

The absolute astonishment inside Vader quickly faded and turned to something Connan couldn't quite place. Hope, maybe? _"It _is _true."_

"_He, working together with Connan Frai, could destroy us."_

At this the Emperor smirked again to himself. Connan bristled. What was that man _up _to? He _knew _she was there; he probably dragged her into this vision himself, like he had all the other times before.

_He's just trying to get me nervous, so we'll make a mistake. _Connan reminded herself.

"_He's just a boy." _Vader pleaded. His voice turned bitter next. _"Obi-Wan can no longer help him, and under _Connan's _teaching's he's sure to fare better with _us _than with _her_."_

That stung Connan. It wasn't _her _fault Vader fell. Sidious simply twisted Connan's words around until they made more sense being Dark.

"_The Force is strong with him." _The Emperor continued. _"The son of Skywalker must _not _become a Jedi."_

Pure, raw anger flooded through Vader, coursing into Connan as well. He hesitated. _"If he could be turned, he could become a powerful ally."_

Oh, _no. _He did _not _just suggest that they turn Luke to the Dark Side.

Sidious seemed to think for a moment. _"Yes. He could be a great asset." _He nodded approvingly. _"Can it be done?"_

Vader bowed again. _"He will join us or die, Master."_

Connan felt herself become angry. One of the consoles next to Sidious' image sparked and exploded.

Vader looked over at the mess of machine and back up at Sidious. _"Is she here, Master?"_

Sidious simply laughed.

**XXXXX**

When Connan woke up she was seized by an enormous headache and an angry Vader yelling at her mind. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist, securing her to whoever had a hold of her, and lifted her up so she was standing.

"What's wrong?" She heard Carth ask her. She tried to answer but nothing came out.

"_You _knew_!"_ Vader shouted. Connan covered her ears to try and drowned out the noise, but nothing changed. If anything, the voice became louder. The sound was so loud her knees buckled, dragging her and Carth both down to the ground. _"You knew and you didn't tell me!"_

"_Of _course _I didn't tell you, Vader." _Connan seethed.

Her pounding headache increased as if Vader had her in a very powerful grip. She gritted her teeth and kept her eyes shut.

"_You kept him from me!" _Vader yelled. _"You kept him from me, just like you kept _her _from me!" _His breathing became louder, even inside Connan's head. _"I should have _known_!"_

"_I would never have—"_

"_You _should have_!" _Vader screamed. She clamped her hands over her ears harder now, keeping her mouth closed and her eyes shut. _"You went so far as to make her look _pregnant _at her funeral! For twenty years I thought they were both dead, and now they're not and I never had the chance to know that because you didn't tell me!"_

There were hands, now, prodding at her forehead and trying to remove her hands from her ears. She could feel breath on her shoulder, probably from Carth holding on to her as tightly as possible and whispering soothing words into her shoulder. She couldn't hear the words, but the gesture calmed her down more than anything else could have. She held on harder, ignoring the outside world.

Connan took a deep breath inwardly and interrupted Vader's loud tirade inside her mind. _"Why would I ever have told you?" _Connan snapped back. _"So you could turn him into your little Sith pet? Like you did Starkiller?"_

Her accusation was met with silence. Her ears rang as if Vader had been in the room yelling at her the whole time. She went on before he could stop her again. _"Don't think I don't know about that. That you took him as a _child _and trained him as your own personal apprentice. Is that what you would have done to Luke, had you known he was alive?"_

Vader's voice was quiet, now. _"No, I would have—"_

"_Liar." _Connan seethed. _"You lie. The _moment _Palpatine figured out you had your son with you, he would have made you turn him into a Sith, and you know it. Is that what you wanted, Vader? One big, hate-centered family, waiting for the chance to cut their own throats so they can move up in life? The _one thing _that will connect you to__ Padm__é—who was sweet, and kind, and never wanted to hurt _anyone_—would have turned into a hateful, malicious Sith who couldn't _wait _for the chance to kill you." _She snorted inside her mind. _"Maybe _you'd _have to kill _him, _first. You're good at things like that."_

There was another silence, one that Connan used for her own good. She shoved as hard as she could at the link, pushing it as far away as possible from her mind. She blocked herself off from Vader, closing their link and their mind-conversations.

_It's too dangerous now, _she told herself. _He already knows about Luke. I don't want to give him the chance to find out about Leia._

Finally, Connan opened her eyes and looked around. Her hands slowly came down from her ears—which were still ringing—and she slowly relaxed her muscles from their tense-state.

"Are you okay, Connan?" Han asked, placing his hand on her forehead to take her temperature. Her ears were still ringing, so she could barely hear him. She nodded tentatively and looked around at the others.

Leia stood next to Han, looking horrified. Chewbacca stood behind them, staring at Connan like he expected her to sprout wings and fly out into outer space. R7 scooted around in the background, whining about something no one wanted to listen to.

"Thank God, Connan." Carth said. He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and squeezed. "What the hell happened?"

"He knows." Connan replied, her voice louder than the others so she could hear herself. She saw the others wince and tried to tone it down. "About Luke."

Carth froze. He didn't need to be told who "he" was. "He does?"

Han frowned. "Who knows what about Luke?"

"He wasn't happy that we didn't tell him." Connan went on.

"Wait." Carth started. He stood up and went next to Han, kneeling down to look Connan in the face. "How do you know this?"

Connan turned red. "You know that bond you destroyed?"

Carth nodded warily.

Connan scratched the back of her head. "It's not really destroyed anymore."

Carth's eyes widened. "You _put it back_?" He looked like he was about to go into scorn-mode.

Connan looked indignant. "I did _not_." She replied. "It just _happened_. Scared the hell out of me the first time I heard him say something."

"Will someone tell us what's going on?" Leia asked. "Are we in any sort of danger?"

"Are _you _in any sort of danger?" Han specified.

"Not for the time being." Connan replied. "They're still looking for us. And _I'm _fine."

Han sighed. "You'd better be, for waking us up at this ungodly hour." He stretched. "Might as well get to work, right?"

**XXXXX**

"Look, I'm sure it's delicious. I just don't understand why we can't see Yoda _now_." Luke stated, following the small man into the kitchen. Mission laughed silently at the spectacle.

It was much too small for either of them to stand up straight in this man's home. Luke was bent almost completely forward, following this man about his house. Mission had given up just after they entered the house. She seated herself next to the table by the fireplace and kept her spine as straight as possible.

Not that they could wait outside or anything. As soon as they made it to the man's house, it started pouring. She felt bad for a while about leaving R2 alone out in the rain, but she soon saw his head pop up at one of the windows. She smiled. He must have unplugged himself somehow.

"Patience!" The man replied. "For the Jedi, it is time to eat as well." He chuckled at his own comment. "Eat! Eat. Hot!"

Luke crawled back into the area Mission inhabited and reached for a bowl. He ladled out a few of the contents of the cauldron into his own and took a sip.

At his disgusted look, Mission thought she'd rather like to skip dinner.

"Good food!" The man called, coming into the living room with them. "Good, hmm?"

"So how far away is Yoda? Will it take us long to get there?" Mission asked as the man entered the room.

"Not far. Yoda not far." The man replied. He laughed again. "Patience. Soon you will be with him." He nudged past an annoyed Luke, who turned and leaned against the wall for a chair. The man held an ingredient up to Luke's face to inspect. "Root leaf. I cook."

Luke moved farther away from the man.

"Why wish you become Jedi, hmm? Hmmm?" The man asked.

Luke shrugged. "Mostly because of my father, I guess."

Mission grimaced.

"Ah, father." The man said. "Powerful Jedi was he." He giggled. "Powerful Jedi."

"Oh, come on." Luke cried, now exasperated. "How could _you _know my father? You don't even know who _I _am."

Mission would have liked to know the same thing. "You've been dodging our questions about Yoda since we met you, you know." She observed.

The man turned to look at Mission, a mischievous look in his eyes. He opened his mouth to reply.

He was interrupted by Luke throwing down his bowl and sighing. "I don't even know what we're _doing _here. We're wasting our time!"

The man sighed as well, looking down toward the ground with sad eyes. "I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience."

Mission's eyes widened.

"_He will _learn _patience_." A voice replied. Mission jumped up, hitting her head on the ceiling painfully.

That voice sounded _exactly _like Obi-Wan, but that couldn't be right. He was _dead_. Granted, Connan had mentioned talking to him a few times since he died, but she didn't think that had actually _happened_.

"Hmmm." The man—Yoda, Mission thought in shock—turned to face Luke and shook his head. "Much anger in him, like his father."

"_Was _I _any different when you taught me?"_

Yoda smiled sadly. "No. He is not ready."

Luke's eyes widened. "_Yoda_."

Yoda simply nodded his head.

Luke looked completely baffled, but kept talking. "I _am _ready. I—Ben—I can be a Jedi. Ben! Tell him I'm r—" Luke stood up, smashing his head against the doorframe above him.

"Ready, are you?" Yoda asked, his tone now condescending. "What know you ready? For eight-_hundred _years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained, hmm?"

Luke looked down at him, practically pleading with his eyes. Yoda continued without noticing. "A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, hmm? The most serious mind." He sighed. Luke looked away from him, staring off more behind him than anywhere. "This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away, to the future, to the horizon…. Never his mind on _where he was_, hmmm? What he was _doing_."

Yoda jabbed Luke's shoulder with his cane, startling the boy back into reality. Yoda let out a "humph!" and shook his head. "Adventure. Hah! Excitement. Hah! Too much time with Connan you have been spending, hmmm?"

Luke looked confused. He tried to reply but was interrupted by Yoda's continuing. "A Jedi craves not these things. You are _reckless_!"

"_So was I, if you remember. So is Connan."_

Yoda now looked stubborn. "He is too old. Yes. Too old to begin training."

"But I've learned so _much_." Luke replied. "Connan's been teaching me a few things for a while. I've already got a head start."

Yoda's eyes narrowed. "Ah, been listening to Connan, have you? A smart idea, that might or might not be."

Mission spoke up now, her face contorted into a frown. "What do you mean?"

"Twisted around, Connan's teachings are." Yoda replied. "Too outdated. Very outlandish." He looked back at Luke, inspecting him. "Taught you her own views of the Force, has she?"

"_That's a little harsh, Master Yoda." _Obi Wan stated. _"It's not _her _fault, after all. And she's learned her lesson. Whatever Luke's learned from her, he had to pry out of her."_

Yoda chuckled. "Good." He looked to the ground, thinking deeply. His ears drooped downward with his eyes. "Will he finish what he begins?"

Luke looked hopeful. "I won't fail you." Yoda met his eye. "I'm not afraid."

At this Yoda laughed darkly. "Oh. You will be." He leaned forward, causing Luke to lean backward, a little nervous at Yoda's sudden change in attitude. "You will be."

**XXXXX**

**T.T;; I didn't mean to be gone for a month.**

**This sort of exploded around me. There was this huge band mutiny. That sort of makes me glad I'm not Drum Major this year, since I'd have to stick with the band directors if only for posterity's sake. Now I can pick any side I want.**

**Once the band problem was taken care of, calculus started acting up. We have homework all the time in that class. I've never worked so hard before in my life. I got an 86 this past 6 weeks on my report card, and I've never been so proud of myself before in my life. Now I finally get to update again and it's another filler chapter.**

**I'm on chapter 27 and I'm 0:57:57 of the way through. Have a good weekend (it's a four-day weekend for us here)!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	13. Dust and Nothing

"_**If the dead are dust and nothing,  
**__**If they lie disregarded,  
**__**If they are never given  
**__**Their due for murder,  
**__**Then fear and piety are utterly gone  
**__**From among us mortals."  
**_—_**Electra**_

**Chapter Thirteen: Dust and Nothing**

**XXXXX**

Connan flipped the switch. When the light didn't come on, she slammed her fist into the hyperdrive and tried again. The light flickered to life and a crackling sound picked up from inside the machine. Connan opened up the hyperdrive and quickly found the sparking components.

"Should you be doing that?" Carth's voice asked from behind her.

Connan shrugged. "No one else is going to." She twisted two severed wires together and sat back. She sighed. "Some of this equipment is completely fried. I can't fix totaled products."

Carth frowned, kneeling down beside her and checking over the hyperdrive. "Can we get the ship running again?"

Connan nodded. "I think we can get it to run, but there's no chance we could ever go to lightspeed. Han's fooling himself if he thinks we can fix this hyperdrive by ourselves." She wiped at her brow. "We probably shouldn't stay in this asteroid field for much longer, anyway."

Carth sighed, standing up and pulling Connan with him. "Come sit down. You've been working at this hyperdrive nonstop for almost three days."

Connan shrugged, following Carth out of the room and toward the Main Hold. "I'm done, anyway."

They made it into the main hold and waved at Han, who was hard at work with Chewbacca, fixing the ship. He turned to stare at her and waved, totally oblivious to the strange look his goggles were giving him. Connan had to hold back a laugh just looking at him.

Carth motioned for Connan to sit at the table near R7-B3, who sat staring at C3-PO and critiquing him.

"So, how's your head?" Carth asked as they sat at the table.

Connan snorted. "I haven't heard Vader for two days, Carth." She replied. "We're avoiding each other now."

"That's good." Carth answered, snagging a stray lock of Connan's hair and wrapping it around his finger nonchalantly. "I'm just—"

Leia burst through the door from the cockpit and stopped in front of Han. "There's something out there!"

Han looked up at once and tore his goggles off. "Where?"

"Outside in the cave." Leia clarified

A banging noise outside the ship echoed through its metal halls. Connan stopped and listened.

"There it is. Listen. Listen!" C3-PO called.

"I'm not too sure what that could be." Connan frowned.

Carth nodded. "Could be mynocks."

"Or shyracks."

"Tuk'ata."

"Any number of spider species—"

"All right!" Han called, shuddering. "That's enough. I'm going out there."

Leia's jaw dropped. "Are you _crazy_?"

"We just got this bucket back together. I'm not going to let something tear it apart." Han snapped. He picked up an oxygen mask as he walked past and opened the ramp.

"Oh!" Leia groaned. She ran to catch up with him and grabbed a mask of her own. "Then I'm going with you."

"**Wait for me!" **Chewbacca cried, following the two with the last oxygen mask.

Carth chuckled. "There's gratitude for you."

Connan huffed. "Well, then I guess we'll just stay here then, huh?"

"I think it might be better if I stayed behind and guard the ship." C3-PO suggested. He jerked as something outside roared. "Oh, no."

Connan and Carth entered the cockpit and sat down. "Do you have any _real _idea what it is?"

Connan shook her head. "Everything's so fuzzy in here." She replied. "Ever since we hid inside this asteroid, it feels like I've been enveloped inside this large bubble. Sort of like you're missing an eye, or that whatever you're trying to focus on it's coming into perspective." She sighed a laugh. "The only reason I heard Vader so clearly was because he was so angry."

Carth looked away guiltily. "Does he know about Leia?"

Connan shook her head. "No. Just about Luke. I hope he never finds out about Leia."

"Me too, beautiful." Carth stated, draping an arm around her shoulders. "Me too."

The comm. system crackled to life and Han's voice rang through the room. _"Can you hear me?"_

"Sure can." Connan answered. "What do you see down there?"

"_This ground sure feels strange." _Leia remarked. _"It doesn't feel like rock."_

"Could it just be softened by a natural spring or something?" Carth asked.

"There shouldn't be any water sources around here." Connan replied.

"_There's an awful lot of moisture in here." _Han stated.

Leia grunted. _"I don't know. I've got a bad feeling about this."_

Leia's concerned voice seemed to second Connan's own feelings. Something was poking at her, telling her to do something. She just couldn't hear it.

There was a shout and blaster fire, causing Connan to come back to the present. "Is everyone all right?"

"_It's all right." _Han stated. _"Yeah, that's what I thought. Mynocks. Chewie, check the rest of the ship and make sure there are no more attached chewing on the power cables."_

"_Mynocks?"_

"_Go on inside. We'll clean them off if there are any more."_

A swarm of mynocks surrounded Leia, making her scream and bolt for the ship. Chewbacca growled and fired from his blaster.

The ground shook, nearly heaving Connan out of her chair. A might roar rang through the place, and the cloud around Connan's mind _moved_, irritated that it had been disturbed.

"_Wait a minute…." _Han mumbled.

"Oh, no." Connan groaned.

"What's wrong?" Carth grasped her arm. "Are you sick?"

"I—No, I—" She shook her head. "Han, do that again."

"_Do what?"_

"Shoot the ground!"

Another blaster shot went off. Another loud snarl filled the air and the ground shook again. The irritation around Connan's mind formed into anger.

"Oh, _no._" Connan cried. "Everyone inside! We have to leave right _now_."

"_We're coming." _Han replied.

"Connan, what's going on?" Carth asked.

Connan started up the ship and made her way out to the main hold. "It all makes sense. The strange way my mind's been clouded over, the shaking, the moisture, even the mynocks make sense. We have to get out of here."

"What are you talking about?" Carth asked.

"Let's get out of here!" Han screamed as he made it inside.

"The Empire is still out there! I don't think—"

Han whirled around to face her. "No time to discuss this in committee!"

"Come on, Han!" Connan yelled, yanking him inside the cockpit.

"I am _not _a committee!" Leia snarled. "You can't make the jump to light speed in this asteroid field."

"Sit down, Leia." Connan sat Leia down beside her and buckled her up. "We're taking off."

Han started the ship and drove it forward, toward the end of the cave. It began slowly closing in on them.

"Look! Look!" C3-PO cried.

"I see it. I see it." Han snapped.

Carth paled.

"The cave is collapsing?" Leia asked.

"This is no cave." Carth answered.

"_What?" _Leia looked toward Connan for confirmation.

Connan nodded. "My head's already clearing up." She stated. "Apparently it's harder to center yourself inside the Force when you're surrounded on all sides by an instinct-driven life form."

Han made it through before the cave entrance—or really, the monster's teeth—closed in on them and trapped them inside. The space slug followed them out as they shot away from the asteroid, nearly catching them again on the way out.

Connan sighed. Her head felt clearer than it had in days. Now all they had to do was avoid the Empire and they'd be all right.

**XXXXX**

Mission watched Luke as he sprinted around the jungle, never really leaving her sight but going quick enough that she sometimes couldn't see him at all. She picked at her nails and chatted with R2 as Luke completed his lesson for the day. They'd only been there a few days, but Yoda had made perfect use of that time. During the past three days, Luke had worked like a dog. He would crash right after dinner, and would be woken again before long to start another work day.

Mission thought it was funny. She watched him climb a vine, swing over to the ground, and flip completely over a fallen log, all with Master Yoda on his back.

She had to admit, Luke could do more and more each day. He certainly was a quick learner. He'd been moving nonstop for almost two hours by now, and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. They were at least kind enough to stay within eyesight of Mission and R2, so they would never really be by themselves in the jungle. While Mission didn't think Dagobah looked as intimidating nor as dangerous as the Shadow Lands of Kashyyyk, she was grateful for the company all the same.

"Yes! A Jedi's strength flows from the Force." Yoda said, loud enough so Mission could hear. "But beware of the Dark Side. Anger, fear, aggression—the Dark Side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the Dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny! Consume you it will. As it did Obi-Wan's apprentice."

Mission winced. Luke came to a stop next to her and turned his head to try and stare at Yoda.

"Vader." He clarified. He sighed. "Is the Dark Side stronger?"

"No. No." Yoda replied. "Quicker. Easier. More seductive."

"How do I know the good side from the bad?" Luke asked.

Mission chimed in. "Connan says the differences of Light and Dark are not in the features, or in the abilities, but in the mentality."

Yoda cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? What says she about this?"

Mission continued. "She says one can be Light Side to do evil, just as one can be Dark Side to do good." Mission grinned. "That's one of Connan's favorite sayings, 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.'"

Luke raised his eyebrows. "I don't believe that."

"I'll tell you a story sometime."

"You will _know _the difference when you are calm." Yoda interrupted. "At peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack."

Luke grimaced. "But tell me why I can't—"

"No! No, there is no _why_." Yoda sighed. "Nothing more will I teach you today. Clear your mind of questions."

Luke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let Yoda down off of his back and reached for his jacket

Then he froze. "Something's not right here." He stated. "I feel cold."

"That place," Yoda pointed with his walking stick toward the entrance to the cave in front of Luke. "Is strong with the Dark Side of the Force. A domain of evil it is." He looked up at Luke. "In you must go. Alone."

Luke frowned. "What's in there?"

Yoda looked away again. "Only what you take with you."

Luke started in, looping his weapon holster around his waist.

"Your weapons." Yoda called. "You will not need them."

Luke sighed and took them anyway.

When Luke was clearly out of sight Mission turned to Yoda. "So Connan tells me you were there. At the end, I mean."

Yoda stared at her. "More specific you must be."

"With—with Anakin and them." Mission shrugged. "I know I wasn't there at the time, but Connan and Carth will barely talk about it other than the fact that he attacked them and killed Padmé."

Yoda nodded. "A tough time for them, it was." He turned fully to look at Mission. "You and I have not had much time to talk. Connan's friend Mission, are you?"

Mission nodded. "I am." She smiled. "Connan told me a lot about you and other members of the Council, though she never felt it appropriate to mention what you actually looked like. When you came to us at first, I had no clue who you were."

Yoda grinned. "I know."

Mission pulled a datapad out of her bag and tossed it to Yoda. "Connan wanted us to give you that. I just remembered."

"I thank you." Yoda replied. He tucked it into a pocket and turned to stare at the mouth of the cave.

Mission sighed. Yoda clearly wasn't in a talkative mood at the moment. No matter. She'd catch him in a little bit.

"_Hey!" _R2 screeched. _"You're just going to let him go in there by himself? He doesn't know what's in there! He could be eaten alive and we'd never know until it's too late. Someone go in there and help him!"_

But Mission shook her head. She could tell this was one of those things that was _way _over her head. It was probably better to stay out of it and hope for the best.

**XXXXX**

Luke wandered through the fog and the trees, stepping lightly to make sure he didn't step on anything living or anger some venomous creature. He reached a dead end and dropped through a hole in the ground, climbing lower and lower until he reached another lever altogether.

_This place is really spooky, _he thought. _I'd better keep on my toes._

A lizard growled beside him, making him jump. A snake's tail brushed past his shoulder and he fought to keep his composure. Finally he came to another cave mouth and peered inside.

A light flickered on. Luke paled and his eyes widened.

_Is that…._

Luke backed up as slowly as possible. The man moved forward, breathing loudly, mechanically, through his mask. Darth Vader stepped out from the cave mouth and advanced on Luke.

_Oh my gods. It's _him.

Slowly, Luke raised his lightsaber and held it in front of him protectively.

Vader's dark red saber ignited and struck before Luke could think.

He barely moved his own in time to block. By the time he'd realized his hands had moved to save him, Vader was moving again, and Luke had to fight to keep up. He blocked a second time and swung his lightsaber in a half-clumsy arc toward Vader.

He stuck something, and Vader's head came clean off.

Luke stared at the man's body, clearly confused. _What? That should have been harder. What's going on?_

Luke inched forward to inspect the body carefully. The mask exploded, tearing off a chunk of its front. Smoke clouded Luke's vision and for a moment he couldn't see what he was staring at at all.

Then he saw it and dropped his saber completely.

He was staring back at his own face.

**XXXXX**

Back outside the cave, Yoda sighed. He briefly explained to Mission what sort of test he'd set up inside the cave, and could feel as Luke decided to attack the Dark Side rather than simply defend himself from it.

"That doesn't sound fair at all." Mission retaliated. "You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't, basically."

Yoda shook his head. "The victory is not in the battle, but in the self-control."

Mission crossed her arms. "I still don't like the sense of entrapment. Or the irony."

**XXXXX**

**Sorry I skipped a week. There's not really a lot to talk about. I'm trying to finish before my brother gets home so I can play Mass Effect. As a matter of fact….**

**Okay okay okay I'm finished. I went and played it for a couple of hours before he got home so I could keep playing it when he got home. Sorry for the delay.**

**I'm on chapter 30 and I'm 1:05:45 of the way through. Bye!!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	14. Crime Learned from Crime

"_**I have not lost all sense of shame,  
**__**Though you think so, I understand that I  
**__**Am lost, that I am beyond the pale.  
**__**But it is your heartlessness that forces me;  
**__**Crime is quickly learned from crime."  
**_—_**Electra**_

**Chapter Fourteen: Crime Learned from Crime**

As soon as they were free from the space slug's intestines, the Empire was on them.

Connan strapped herself in next to Leia and held on. The ship jostled back and forth as it was bombarded by a Stardestroyer.

"Thank goodness we're out of the asteroid field!" C-3PO cried.

"Because this is _so _much better." Connan groaned.

"Let's get out of here." Han replied, reaching for lightspeed controls. "Ready for lightspeed?"

Connan frowned. "Han—"

Han ignored her. "One."

Chewbacca reached for the controls.

"_Han."_ Connan repeated.

"Two."

"I don't think this is a good idea," Carth stated.

"Three!" Han yanked the controls for lightspeed back as hard as he could.

Nothing happened. The gears wound down and strained against each other, causing the ship to die and drift about space. Leia shook her head sadly. Carth would have laughed if the situation weren't so grave.

"**What happened?" **Chewbacca asked.

"It's not fair." Han groaned.

"**It's not **_**fair**_**?" **Chewbacca repeated. **"Nothing about this is fair! What haven't you fixed the hyperdrive yet?"**

"Connan was supposed to do it, not me!" Han retaliated.

"I've been _trying _to tell you, you nitwit!" Connan slapped Han upside his head. "The transfer circuits aren't working. They're completely _fried_. Unless you've got about six yards of unused wire lying around somewhere, we can't get lightspeed back on our own."

Leia glared at Han, sighing and shaking her head at him.

"What are you looking at _me _like that for?" Han snapped. "It's not _my _fault!"

"No lightspeed?" Leia repeated.

"It's _not _my fault!" Han remained adamant.

The ship shook again, nearly throwing Connan from her seat. She hung onto her seatbelt tightly.

"Sir, we've just lost the main rear deflector shield." C-3PO stated. "One more direct hit on the back quarter and we're done for."

Han stood up. "Turn her around."

"**What?!" **Chewbacca's eyes widened incredulously.

"I said _turn her around_! I'm going to put all power into the front shield." Han reached over Connan to press a button.

Carth gawked. "We're going to _attack _them?"

C-3PO whimpered. "Sir, the odds of surviving a direct assault on an Imperial Stardestroyer is—"

"Shut up!" Leia barked.

Connan leaned over and glanced at the screen, reading over Han's shoulder. "Han, you know I'm usually on the same page as you are. We've been doing this for—what? Four years now?—and we're both usually good at reading the other." She shook her head. "But you're going to have to cut me some slack on this one. What the _hell _are you doing?"

Han waved her off, pulling upward sharply on the controls. They barely skimmed the top of the Stardestroyer and whirled around again, like they were going to make another pass.

Carth grasped at Connan and tugged her closer, both watching the screen aptly as Han landed the ship on the side of the Stardestroyer and turned off the main power.

"What—" Connan's eyes widened in realization. For the second time, she smacked him upside his head. Han grinned, despite the scolding he was receiving, and rubbed the back of his head. "You _idiot_. You could have said something."

"What are we doing?" Leia asked, her eyes narrowing between Han and Connan.

Carth huffed a sigh of relief. "We're hiding in plain sight. They can't find us on their radar if the _Falcon _isn't powered up, and this way we're not just floating through space where they could easily see us."

"Captain Solo, this time you've gone too far!" C-3PO fretted.

"**Be quiet," **Chewbacca reprimanded.

"No, I will _not _be quiet, Chewbacca! Why won't anyone listen to me?" C-3PO threw his arms about wildly, trying to gain someone's attention.

"Look, they fleet's beginning to break up." Han observed. He turned toward Chewbacca. "Go back and stand by the manual release for the landing claw."

Chewbacca nodded, turning away from the cockpit and maneuvering around the crowded room to get out. Connan sat on Carth's lap to give Chewbacca enough room to leave. When the Wookie was gone, Connan tugged herself away, only to have Carth's arms wrap securely around her waist.

She frowned at him, tugging experimentally at herself again. "It would seem I'm stuck."

Carth grinned. "You'll just have to wait right here, gorgeous."

Connan's smile was coupled with a blush; it'd been a long time since Carth had called her that. Carth pulled her closer, leaning his forehead onto her shoulder.

"I really don't see how this is going to help." C-3PO cried. "Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances."

Han turned around, giving an irritated glance to Leia, who turned to C-3PO and turned him off in midsentence.

"The Empire may be gracious enough—"

"_Thank _you." Connan groaned.

"So what's our next move?" Leia asked, sitting in Chewbacca's old seat and leaning over to study Han's screen.

"Well, if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they'll dump their garbage before they go to lightspeed, and we just float away."

Leia snorted. "With the rest of the garbage. Then what?"

"We need to find somewhere to lay low while we fix the ship." Connan called. "It'll be impossible to go to lightspeed until we can get the few things we need to fix the ship. _Then _we can head back to find the Rebellion."

Han turned on the galaxy map. "It's got to be somewhere relatively close. The farther we have to travel, the more chances we have of getting caught."

"Any ideas?" Carth asked.

"Where are we?" Leia replied.

"Here." Han pointed. "The Anoat System."

Leia sucked on her teeth thoughtfully. "There's not much there."

"No." Han shook his head. He studied the map for a while longer and highlighted a system. "Well, wait. This is interesting." He frowned, then raised his eyebrows as if he were intrigued. "Lando."

Connan cocked an eyebrow of her own. "Lando System?"

Han shook his head. "Lando's not a system. He's a man. Lando Calrissian." Han smirked. "He's a cardplayer, gambler, scoundrel…." He turned to Leia and nodded toward her. "You'd like him."

Leia hung her head. "Thanks."

Connan examined the map closely. "Bespin. It's pretty far, actually."

"It's close enough. I think we can make it." Han assured them.

"A mining colony?" Carth asked.

Han nodded. "Yeah, a tibanna gas mine." He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Lando conned somebody out of it." Han leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "We go back a long way, Lando and me."

"Can we trust him?" Leia inquired.

Han shrugged and had the grace to look sheepish. "No, but he's got no love for the Empire, I can tell you that."

The ship shifted suddenly. Carth's arms around Connan tightened to keep her in place.

Han flipped the comm. systems online. "Here we go, Chewie, stand by." The ship beneath them rumbled as the garbage from the Star Destroyer began to float away from the fleet. "Detach."

The _Falcon _began free-floating through space with the rest of the garbage as the Stardestroyer fleet took off.

Connan breathed a sigh of relief as she felt Vader's presence in her mind growing dimmer. "He doesn't know we're still here. He left with the rest of his fleet."

Han looked smug.

"You do have your moments." Leia praised with a small smile. "Not many of them, but you do have them."

She kissed him on the cheek and returned to her seat, missing Han's haughty look turning into a flustered blush. He pointedly ignored Leia as she sat back down and buckled up, focusing only on getting the ship away from the Empire's trash.

Connan could feel her bond to Vader getting thinner and thinner as they put more distance between them, but as he faded away, she could clearly sense the laughter and the haughtiness coming from him that signaled yet another plot of his in the making. She sighed, wondering what he would try to throw at them next.

**XXXXX**

Mission sat on the ground next to R2-D2, holding her head to keep it from pounding. The pressure in her head was unbearable just _looking _at Luke keep up his one-arm handstand, and he'd been doing it for a good ten minutes now.

Yoda stood on top of Luke's foot, balancing there as carefully as anything, completely as ease and not as if he were six feet taller and looking at a long fall.

Luke himself was sweating profusely, one arm out to his side; just as the leg that wasn't supporting Yoda was leaning slightly off, to keep himself in balance.

"Use the Force." Yoda prompted. "Yes."

"_Hey, Mission? You should probably look at this." _R2 nudged at Mission's arm.

"What is it, R2?" Mission asked, glad for a distraction from Luke's lesson for the day. R2 motioned for her to look over at the Spearhead they'd come in on.

Mission paled. It was slowly sinking into the swamp they'd crashed into. She whipped back around to inform Luke of their imminent marooning.

"Now, the stone." Yoda murmured. The large rock in front of Luke rose into the air, earning a pained grunt from the boy in question, and landed on another, larger rock to the side. "Feel it."

Mission gave a wave toward the two, hoping to gain someone's attention. "Luke, our ship is—"

"_It's sinking like a stone! It's dropping like a decommissioned droid! It's going under like—"_

Luke jerked his head over toward R2-D2's frantic beeping and lost his focus. The rock plummeted to the ground, sliding off of the large stone underneath it. Yoda gave a cry of alarm as Luke tumbled off of his arms and toward the ground, throwing Yoda off of him and toward the swamp.

Luke sat up with a groan, and was on his feet before he could see Yoda's disappointed look. He ran to the edge of the swamp, where Mission stood already, and stared as only a portion of one wing was still left above water.

"Oh, no. We'll never get it out, now." Luke groaned.

"So certain are you." Yoda chuckled. He sighed and shook his head. "Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?"

"Master, moving stones is one thing. This is totally different!"

"No. _No _different!" Yoda slapped his cane to the ground for emphasis. "Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned."

Luke gave a tired huff. Mission felt a moment of sympathy. The poor guy; Yoda had been working him nonstop since they got to Dagobah. He must have been tired.

"All right. I'll give it a try."

"No!" Yoda scolded. "Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Reluctantly, Luke nodded. He turned around and faced the still sinking ship.

Mission nudged his arm. "You can do it. I'm right here in case you collapse."

Luke grinned. "Always looking out for me, I see." Then he closed his eyes and concentrated. He held a hand out for support.

As first nothing happened other than the usual bubbling of the water. Then, slowly, Mission saw the ship begin to rise up out of the swamp, slowly but surely. She felt a moment of glee. Luke was really going to do it. He was going to pull their ship out.

Then Luke flinched, and his brow began to sweat, and his face pinched as if he was struggling, and the ship began to drop.

Mission sighed, looking away and shaking her head as the last parts of the ship were completely submerged in the murky water. Well, it looked like they might be stuck here for a while.

Mission followed Luke as he staggered to sit next to Yoda. He took a deep breath and huffed out his words in pants. "I can't. It's too big."

But Yoda shook his head. "Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm?" Luke gave a knowing smirk. "Humph. And well you should not, for my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is." He looked around at the plant life surrounding them. "Life creates it. Makes it grow."

Mission chose to ignore the paradox that Connan often pointed out to her within the Jedi Order. They stated that the Force kept all life alive, that it was the creator of all things, yet they also insisted that life creates Force.

Mission remembered Connan shaking her head at Mission's initial outrage on learning that, and the Jedi simply stated, _"That's what happens when you become so absorbed inside one particular thing, like the Jedi Order insists its Jedi become. No one seems to notice what is wrong with what's being said. They trust their Order so much that they take everything at face value, and don't study into it." _Then she'd shrugged and said, _"That's why people like me are often ostracized inside the Order. They claim we're 'looking for faults within the Order', and that might be true, but how can we grow if we don't know our own weaknesses?"_

But Yoda was continuing with his lecture, and Mission was forced to break her thoughts in order to pay attention. "Its energy surrounds us, and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this _crude matter_." He reached out with his fingers and pinched at Luke's bare shoulder. "You must feel the Force around you—here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere! Yes, even between the land and the ship."

Luke stood and looked down at Yoda, a tired look crossing his face. He walked past Yoda and toward his jacket hanging on a limb. "You want the impossible."

Yoda sighed and closed his eyes, thinking. Mission wished there was something she could say to him. That last statement must have stung. She wanted to tell Yoda about the time when Connan lifted an entire pillar on Korriban because it had crumbled as they exited the tomb of Tulak Hord and would have crushed Mission if she hadn't done something.

But Yoda's hand came up, and he looked to be in deep concentration, so Mission left him alone.

Once again the water bubbled. Mission narrowed her eyes to try and see what was going on beneath the water's surface.

Then she gasped. "Luke!"

R2 joined in. _"Luke! Luke, come here! You've _got _to see this! Hurry up!"_

Luke reappeared and stopped to stare, but at the moment Mission had ceased paying attention. She stared squarely at the swamp, ignoring Luke and R2.

The last landing foot of the Spearhead floated up above the water, and the entire R-22 Spearhead drifted forward and away from the swamp.

Mission was upon the Spearhead as soon as Yoda set it down completely. She went immediately for the cockpit to check for any problems.

She tisked. "It's a little waterlogged, but I bet R2 and I can drain that out. So long as none of the wires were chewed off by whatever grabbed a hold of R2 the last time we were inside that swamp, it should still be flyable."

Luke simply stared in shock. "I don't—I don't believe it."

The look that Yoda gave Luke was more than disappointment. He shut his eyes and shook his head sadly. "That is why you fail."

**XXXXX**

Later that night, as it rained over the swampy terrain of Dagobah, Luke and Mission sat against the wall, staring into the fire as Yoda slept.

"I just don't understand it." Luke groaned, running a hand through his hair. "He says it's no different than the rocks, but I just couldn't pull that ship out from the water like he did."

Mission shrugged. "I'm not sure what to tell you. I'm not exactly a Jedi myself." Then she frowned in thought. "Well, Connan _did _describe something to me once."

Luke stared at her expectantly. "Well?" He asked after Mission didn't continue. "What did she explain?"

"Oh." Mission grinned. "I asked her how in the world it was possible to pull things to you and push them away without touching them."

"What did she say?"

Mission ran her tongue across her teeth, trying to recall every word. "She said you've got to imagine that everything is connected to you."

Luke huffed. "That's what Yoda said."

Mission shook her head. "No, no, that's not what I mean. Yes, everything _is _connected, but it's different than that." She frowned in thought and tried again. "She said that you've got to imagine as if everything were _literally _connected to you. She described it like a string. If you want to pull a rock toward you, imagine a string connecting from you to the rock. Just pull on the string.

"It's the same thing with almost everything, she explained. If you want to pull the rock up instead of toward you, simply imagine the rock with a string leading toward the sky, and pull it. If you want it to go at an angle, you do the same thing." Mission grinned. "If you want to hurl something at someone, simply pull the string as hard as you can. Sooner or later, imagining the strings becomes completely useless, because you're so used to doing it in the first place. It also makes the use of Force Powers more creative. The more ways you can see to move an object, the more uses it can have."

Luke blinked. He turned his attention toward the fruit bowl on the table and concentrated. He imagined a long line, leading from his chest, connecting to the fruit bowl.

He gave it a tug.

The fruit bowl barreled toward them at a much greater speed than Luke imagined it would, and he ducked. Mission shrieked and dove out of the way just as it smashed against the wall, right where her head had been.

Yoda woke with a start. "What are you doing over there?"

Luke hurried to pick up the pieces of the bowl he'd broken. "Nothing; I was just trying out a technique Mission said Connan used."

Yoda turned his disapproving glare toward Mission.

"I didn't mean for him to try it right away!" Mission scolded, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself down.

"Worked, did it?" Yoda asked.

Luke shrugged. "Generally, though I honestly didn't mean to pull that hard."

Yoda settled back down onto his bed with a sigh. "Then allow it, I will. Teach it to me tomorrow, Mission will."

Mission turned red.

"But I don't—"

"Sleep! Sleep now!" Yoda called as he turned over. He took a deep breath and was out once again.

Mission slapped Luke's arm. "You idiot! You got me in trouble!"

Luke shrugged, trying to keep the amused smile off of his face. "He just seemed curious to me."

"Don't ever do that again!"

Luke just smiled.

**XXXXX**

"He's useless to us, my Lord." The Admiral admitted. "He doesn't know _anything_. Literally. I don't even think he knows what year it is, sir."

Vader glanced over at the man in the Admiral's custody. The man glared straight at Vader, making the Sith Lord want to laugh aloud. He loved defiant prisoners.

Vader took another breath. "I assure you, Admiral, he's far from useless." He waved his arm in an expressive way, calling everyone in the room to attention. "Take him to my ship. Put him in the brig there. He's going to be my personal prisoner."

"What for?" The man spat. "I have no idea who you are. I've done nothing to you." The man sneered. "You took advantage of an unarmed, single opponent using a whole squadron of fully armed soldiers." The man clucked his tongue and spoke venom. "Where's the honor in _that_?"

Vader laughed.

"My Lord!" Cried a man as he rushed into the room. "My Lord, the bounty hunter Boba Fett has made contact. It seems he's found them. He's tracking them now."

"Good." Vader stated. "Have him send us their location at once." He grinned. "We will meet them there."

**XXXXX**

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Things have been rough. I barely passed calculus with a 75, and then my Granny died that next Sunday. So I've been out for a while.**

**Other than that things have been okay. Calculus is better this six weeks (so far) and I got a laptop, so things are looking up. This laptop is a lot better than my crap computer, so I'll be able to meet my updates now. Using both the TV and the computer for updating was getting exhausting.**

**Anyway, I have a question. Does anyone know how long it takes the **_**Falcon **_**to get to Cloud City? I can't find it anywhere, and I don't think it only took a few hours, especially because they don't have lightspeed at the moment.**

**I'm on chapter 33 and I'm 1:16:36 of the way through. I'm almost done with this one! And don't worry; it's about to get real fun. This last part will definitely be my favorite. I'm still going through different scenarios I can use. I'll pick one sooner or later. If anyone wants to throw in their two cents that'd be cool.**

_**Amme Moto**_


	15. Reaping Crime

"_**And any man who prays that different things befall  
**__**The city, maybe he reap the crime of his own heart."  
**_—_**Agamemnon**_

**Chapter Fifteen: Reaping Crime**

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm _tired _of this ship." Connan groaned, slumping down on the bench next to Carth.

"It's only because we have no lightspeed." Carth reminded her, tugging her closer and wrapping an arm around her stomach. "It's taken a week to get to Bespin, when it should only have taken about three or four hours."

Connan sighed gustily. "Thank the Force we're almost there. Tomorrow we should get there, and then we can get out into the open space and explore somewhere we haven't been before."

Carth smirked. "Your exploring always leads to trouble."

"Does not."

"I'm not going to argue with you." Carth stated. "You can explore when we get to Bespin, but you _must _take someone with you. I don't want the incident on Orto Plutonia to happen again."

Connan scowled. "It's not my fault it was freezing."

Carth laughed. "Let's just be lucky the Talz were willing to help you to shelter so we could find you. But that won't happen this time. I've got a bad feeling about this place, Connan, and I want you to promise me. You're going to stay in someone's sight. Understood?"

"Nothing's going to happen, Carth." Connan replied. "I haven't felt a thing from Vader since we left; I think he closed off our link. We're going to be fine. We'll get our ship fixed and be on our way. We'll be here three or four days, tops." Then she sighed. "But I suppose, if you're worried, I can promise. I'll be with one of you at all times. Promise."

**XXXXX**

Mission sat with her legs crossed, shining her blaster next to R2-D2. The small droid buzzed happily next to her, watching Luke in his handstand.

"_Mission, this is really interesting! You should watch." _

"No, thanks." Mission replied. "I've seen Connan do it millions of times. I have to get this dent out of my barrel. "

"Concentrate." Yoda instructed the upside down Jedi. "Feel the Force flow."

One of the crates Mission had helped drag along that morning leapt into the air, floating around aimlessly as Luke tried his hardest to add more crates to those drifting.

"Yes." Yoda encouraged.

Mission looked up for a moment at Luke and looked away again. Watching him for too long would make her nauseous, and she didn't want to get sick.

Then her blaster jolted out of her hands and joined the inorganic objects swirling about above her head, and she sighed, sitting back and watching the spectacle.

"_Mission?" _R2 asked. _"Oh, no. Mission? Mission! MISSION!!"_

Mission jumped at R2-D2's alarmed cries. He floated through the air as helplessly as anything, beeping as if he were a speeder alarm.

"_Get me down! This isn't fun anymore!"_

Mission laughed.

"Good." Yoda pushed. "Calm." He nodded sagely. "Through the Force, things you will see."

Luke's eyes became cloudy, and he stared past the trees as if they weren't there at all. It gave Mission the creeps, personally. She was glad when he finally closed them and took a deep breath to calm himself. She pinched herself to make sure she was still there.

"Other places," Yoda went on. "The future. The past. Old friends long gone."

Luke's eyes shot open and he gasped. "Han?" He called. "Leia! _Connan_!"

The crates dropped to the ground and R2-D2 shrieked as he fell over a tree root. Mission covered her head to keep her blaster from hitting her. She collected her blaster a moment later and was up in an instant.

The way he'd said _Connan_, like he was watching something horrifying happen to her, scared Mission.

Luke tumbled over himself and hit the ground next to Yoda, who sighed and shook his head. "Control, control. You must learn control!"

Mission knelt next to Luke and helped him up. "Luke? What did you see?"

"I saw…." He took a deep breath and swallowed. "I saw a city in the clouds."

Yoda nodded. "Friends you have there."

Luke's eyes widened and he leaned toward Yoda. "They were in _pain_."

Yoda seemed unsurprised. "It is the future you see."

Mission sat back on the ground and clasped her hands together to try and stop them from shaking. "The future?"

Again Yoda nodded. Luke pulled himself up and leaned down to pull a shaky Mission up with him. "Will they die?"

"Difficult to see." Yoda closed his eyes. "Always in motion is the future."

Mission thought she was going to have a heart attack. _No. _She thought. _No no no. Carth—he's been through enough. And Connan—_

_They can't hurt Connan. They _can't_. She's—she's—_

_We have to go. Right now._

Mission grabbed at Luke's arm and pulled. "Then we have to go. _Now_. We have to go help them."

Luke turned to stare at Mission, who returned his look pleadingly. Finally he nodded and reached for his bag.

"Decide you must how to serve them best." Yoda admitted. "If you leave now, help them you could, but you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."

Mission hissed. "There will be no _suffering _on Connan's part. Even if I _could _abide by the others being tortured while we stayed here, with Luke learning to use the Force, I _will not _let Connan suffer. I _can't_." She turned to Luke again. "You can't either, Luke. You don't know, but if you knew—If you _knew_, you wouldn't be standing here. We would be _going_."

Luke frowned. "If I knew what?"

"Connan is pregnant."

Luke froze. He grasped Mission in such a tight grip that she winced. "Are you telling the truth?"

"Of course I am." She replied. "She's one of the most wanted people in the galaxy, right there next to you, and she's going to be a main target if they get caught. Luke, you can't let her suffer through that, even if you can stomach through the others. You _can't_."

"Not fully trained, are you!" Yoda implored. "Unprepared you would be, to face the challenge."

Luke didn't answer. He kept his gaze on Mission, who tugged on his arms impatiently. "We _have_ to go."

Finally, after a moment of silence, Luke groaned. "Go get packed, and suit up."

Mission could feel Yoda's intensely disapproving glare as she passed him, but she ignored it.

**XXXXX**

Han groaned, running a hand through his hair. "No, I don't have a landing permit. I'm _trying _to reach Lando Calrissian."

The escort next to them fired two warning shots, shaking the _Falcon _around. Connan gripped Chewbacca's chair in an attempt to keep upright.

"Whoa, whoa! Wait a minute!" She called. "Unless you want me to be sick all over this cockpit, you will _not _do that again."

"_You will not deviate from your present course." _One of the fighter pilots beside them ordered.

"Rather touchy, aren't they?" C-3PO asked.

"_Touchy? Hah! They're going to blow us to bits when we try to land." _R7 replied from outside the cockpit.

"Han, I thought you knew this person." Carth snapped.

"**Do you think he's still upset that we cheated him out of his ship **_**and **_**his money before we took off last time?"**

Connan's eyes widened. "You _what_?"

Han shrugged sheepishly. "That was a long time ago. I'm sure he's forgotten about that."

"About _what_?" Leia asked.

"_Permission granted to land on Platform 3-2-7."_

"_Thank _you!" Han called. "See? Nothing to worry about. We go way back, Lando and me."

Connan sighed. Carth tugged her closer to him.

"Who's worried?"

The _Millennium Falcon _landed gracefully on the platform, and the ramp went down. Connan was the first person down the ramp, followed closely by Carth. Han peeked out and stared at the door leading inside Cloud City. It stood bolted shut.

"Oh." C-3PO observed. "No one to meet us."

Leia shook her head nervously. "I don't like this."

Han sighed. "Well, what _would _you like?"

"Something other than frigid hospitality." Carth replied.

"They _did _let us land." Connan added.

"Look, don't worry." Han stated. "Everything is going to be fine. Trust me."

The door at the end of the platform opened slowly, and a tall, dark man surrounded by guards entered.

Han grinned and pointed with his thumb. "See? My friend."

Connan turned to look at Han's "friend". The dark man strode forward with a purpose, making his blue cape billow out behind him. He wore a look of complete solemnity and glared at Han as he neared.

Han leaned over and whispered something to Chewbacca before walking forward with his arms outstretched, calling in greeting. "Hey!"

"Why, you slimy, double-crossing, no-good swindler." Lando spat. "You've got a lot of guts coming here, after what you pulled."

Carth's arms wrapped around Connan protectively, and she kept her eyes on Lando in case he tried to pull something of his own.

Wide-eyed, looking as innocent as possible, Han pointed to himself in question. Lando walked closer, until he was almost nose-to-nose with the scoundrel, and jerked, as if to strike.

Connan tensed as Han jumped backward. She prepared to stop the man with the Force and throw him across the platform if need be.

Then Lando's arms flew around Han, and he embraced his old friend, laughing at his grand joke.

"How're you doing, you old pirate? So good to see you!"

Connan let out a sigh of relief she hadn't realized she was holding.

"**It's okay, guys!" **Chewbacca called to Leia.

"Well, he seems very friendly." C-3PO deduced.

"Yes." Leia studied the still-laughing man. "Very friendly."

"What are you doing here?" Lando asked, shoving at Han's shoulder.

"Ah, repairs. I thought you could help me out." He turned to glance at Connan. "And it seems we've run out of the kind of food _this _one prefers to eat."

Connan scowled.

"What have you done to my ship?" Lando asked, suddenly serious.

"_Your _ship?" Han repeated. "Hey, remember you lost her to me fair and square."

Lando smirked, looking behind Han to the gathering group behind him. "And how are you doing, Chewbacca?" He smiled at Chewbacca's greeting. "You still hanging around with this loser?"

Connan and Leia moved up beside Chewbacca to get a closer look at Lando. The man raised his eyebrows and gave a coy smile. "Well, hello. What have we here? Han, you didn't tell me you were smuggling _angels _this time."

"Angels with a right hook," Han muttered.

"Welcome," Lando plowed on, ignoring Han for the moment. "I am Lando Calrissian. I'm the administrator of this facility." He leaned forward and smiled again. "And who might you two be?"

Connan stuck out her hand. "I'm Connan, and this is Carth." Connan pointed to the put-out pilot behind her. Carth leaned forward and snagged Connan's hand in his and glared at Lando.

Lando's eyes widened for a moment as he looked at Connan, scrutinizing her closely, but he took the hint. He backed off and turned toward Leia. "And you, sweetheart?"

Leia smirked. "Leia."

Lando grasped Leia's hand and brought it to his lips to kiss. "Welcome, Leia."

Behind Lando, Han rolled his eyes, making Connan struggle not to laugh aloud. Leia sent a glance to Han to see his reaction to Lando's smooth talking before looking back at the administrator.

Han broke in between Leia and Lando, taking Leia's hand from him. "All right, all right, you old smoothie."

"Hello, sir!" C-3PO jumped in, taking Lando's hand and shaking it before Lando knew he was being addressed. "I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations. My facilities are at your—"

By this time Lando walked away, leaving 3PO to cut off his own sentence. "Well, really!"

"What's wrong with the _Falcon_?" Lando asked.

"Hyperdrive." Connan replied. "You're going to need about six yards of completely new wiring for the secondary engine, and two or three of the gears were practically disintegrated inside the front fixture."

Lando turned to Connan, impressed. "You've got yourself an actual mechanic, it seems."

Connan shrugged. "I'm just out of parts."

"I'll get my people to work on her."

"Good." Han called.

"You know that ship saved my life quite a few times. She'd the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy."

They stepped inside the building and followed Lando through the maze that followed. Han laughed. "How's the gas mine? Still paying off for you?"

"Not as well as I'd like." Lando admitted. "We're a small outpost and not very self-sufficient. I've had supply problems of every kind, I've had labor difficulties…."

Han laughed. Lando looked at him, incredulous. "What's so funny?"

"You! Listen to you. You sound like a businessman, a responsible leader. Who'd have thought that, huh?"

Lando smiled. "You know, seeing you brings back a few things."

"Yeah." Han agreed.

"Yeah, I'm responsible these days. It's the price you pay for being successful. I've had to make some rather difficult choices, recently, and if I weren't the responsible leader I am, I'm not sure what would happen to this place."

Connan slowed to a halt as a familiar feeling washed over her. Frowning, she glanced around the hall, trying to figure out if she'd been there before. It didn't _look _familiar, but if she hadn't been inside Cloud City before, then why was she feeling like she had? There was certainly a tug inside her, one that she'd felt before, but she couldn't place what it could be.

"Connan?" Carth called, backtracking and standing in front of her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Connan replied, taking one last look around. "I'm fine. It's just a weird feeling."

Carth cocked an eyebrow. "You're not feeling anything dangerous, are you?"

"No." Connan answered. "Just… familiar. We haven't been here before, have we?" she asked. "Even in the old times?"

Carth frowned in thought. "We were on the planet Varonat a _long _time ago, I think. It wasn't an actual part of the Mandalorian Wars, but it was used as a rendezvous point and a resupply center. That planet's near here. Is that what you're thinking of?"

Varonat? Was that it? She couldn't remember. It'd been so long since she'd been in her own time (the "Old Republic", as it's been dubbed by Han), that she could hardly remember.

"No, I don't think that's it." She replied. "I don't remember Varonat. Whatever I'm feeling, it's _here_."

"Then I don't—"

"**Connan," **Chewbacca called, rounding the corner that Lando and the others just turned. **"Have you seen C-3PO? He was just with us, and now he's gone."**

Connan shook her head. "I haven't seen him."

Chewbacca shrugged. **"I wonder where he went. He's not the kind to just wander off."**

Carth took Connan by the arm and pulled her in the direction Lando went. "We'll look for him later. We'd better catch up to Lando and Han before we get left behind."

**XXXXX**

By the time Mission finished thoroughly checking over their Spearhead, it was already nighttime. She'd finished packing early and threw on her suit, so she was all set to go. She got R2-D2 seated inside his space when Luke came out of Yoda's hut with his suit on.

Mission tossed his helmet to him. "Hurry up. I'm starting the Spearhead."

Yoda followed Luke out of the house and frowned as the boy slipped his helmet onto his head. "Luke, you must complete the training."

"No, Mission's right. I can't keep that vision out of my head." Luke replied. "They're my friends. I've got to help them."

"You _must not go_." Yoda stressed.

"But they'll all die if we don't!" Mission snapped.

"_You don't know that."_

Mission jumped, nearly falling out of the Spearhead cockpit as the spirit of Obi Wan appeared next to Yoda. She let out a sigh, trying to calm herself down. Her nerves had been shot since Luke's vision that morning.

"_Even Yoda cannot see their fate."_

"Obi Wan, _you _of all people should know what they're going to do to Connan, and why we can't let that happen." Mission stressed. Obi Wan winced minutely. "We can help them. We _can_."

"I feel the Force." Luke jumped in. "I can use it."

"_But you cannot control it." _Obi Wan finished. _"This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the Dark Side of the Force."_

Yoda looked hopeful. "Yes! Yes! To Obi Wan you listen." He glanced at Mission then back to Luke. "The cave. Remember your failure at the cave."

"But I've learned so much since then!" Luke countered. "Master Yoda, I promise to return and to finish what I've begun. You have my word."

Obi Wan sighed and looked nervous. _"It is not only Connan the Emperor wants in his grasp. It is you and your abilities he wants, as well. That is why your friends are made to suffer."_

"That's why we have to go." Luke replied.

"_Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader."_

"You won't."

"Stopped they must be." Yoda prodded. "On this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight, with the Force as his ally, will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil."

Mission barked out a laugh. "Quick and easy path? That's not the way _I _heard the story."

"_Patience, Luke."_

"And sacrifice Han, and Leia and Carth?" Mission growled. "And what of Connan? Are we supposed to just throw her to the wolves and hand her to the Emperor? Do you not care at all? What the hell were all those stories Connan told me about you, anyway, if you're going to sacrifice her at the first opportunity?"

Yoda straightened. "If you honor what they fight for… you will make the sacrifice, too."

Mission scoffed. "Luke, get in the Spearhead."

Luke stalled.

"_If you choose to face Vader, you will do so alone. I cannot interfere." _Obi Wan pressed.

Luke nodded. "I understand. R2, fire up the converters."

The Spearhead whirled to life and Luke climbed up the ladder, seating himself next to Mission. Mission buckled herself in and turned on the controls.

"_Luke!" _Obi Wan called, holding up his hands imploringly. _"Don't give in to hate. That leads to the Dark Side."_

"Strong is Vader." Yoda added. "Mind what you have learned. Save you it can."

"I will." Luke shouted over the whirr of the engine. "And I'll return. I promise."

Mission closed the hatch and they took off away from Dagobah.

Luke let out a sigh once they left the atmosphere. "They make it seem as if I'm their last hope or something."

Mission sneered. "Of course you're not, Luke. You're just about as good as they can get, but you're not their _only _hope." She turned to him and smiled. "There is _another_."

**XXXXX**

Connan sighed as she stretched out on the couch. "It was nice of them to lay out new clothes for us when we woke up this morning, but I don't think I want to get out of my Revan Robes. They're too comfortable to get out of."

Leia, who was wearing her new red dress under a long beige overcoat, smirked. "You're always wearing them. When do you have time to wash them?"

Connan shrugged. "I have another set of robes I wear when these are washing. I like those too, because I wore _those _robes all throughout our Star Forge escapade, but I think these have a little more memory attached to them."

Glancing out the window, Leia sighed. "Do you like it here?"

Connan regarded the question. "I wouldn't want to live here. There's something irking at me about this place that I can't seem to find."

"Are you worried about 3PO at all?"

Again Connan stopped to ponder what was asked. She sat up and looked at Leia as she spoke. "He sure has been gone a long time. Chewie will find him, though. He'll know where to look."

The door to the pure-white room opened and Han sauntered in, followed by Carth.

"The ship's almost finished." Han stated. "Two or three more things and we'll be in great shape."

Leia turned on Han, her eyes blazing. "The sooner the better. Something is _wrong_ here. No one has seen or knows _anything _about 3PO."

Carth nodded pensively. "He's been gone too long to have gotten lost."

Han placed his hands on Leia's shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Relax. I'll talk to Lando, and see what I can find out."

Leia sat down and growled. "I don't trust Lando."

"Well, I don't trust him either." Han replied. "But he is my friend. And besides, we'll soon be gone."

Leia looked at Han sadly. "Then you're as good as gone, aren't you?"

The door opened before Han could reply, and a distressed Wookie ran in. **"I found him!"**

Leia looked at the box Chewbacca carried in with him containing what was left of C-3PO and sighed. "What happened?"

Connan hissed. "He found himself on the wrong side of a blaster."

"**I found him in junk pile."**

Han raised both eyebrows. "Where?"

"**The junk pile! About to be recycled!"**

"No kidding." Connan huffed. "You found him in a junk pile?"

"You think you can repair him, Chewie?" Carth asked.

Chewbacca shrugged.

"Lando's got people who can fix him." Han suggested.

"I wouldn't trust Lando as far as I could throw him." Carth ventured. "He's hiding something."

"He's the administrator of a shady gas mine business, Carth." Connan defended. "Of course he's going to have some secrets."

Once again the door opened, and this time Lando himself came in. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Leia tugged her overcoat around her snugly. "Not really."

The man laid a smooth smile on Leia as he regarded her. "You look absolutely beautiful. You truly belong here with us among the clouds."

"What a line." Connan murmured to Carth. "He's bound to hook a firaxa with all the different lines he's cast since we got here."

"Yes," Carth replied drolly. "He's a real smooth talker, that one."

"Would you join me for a little refreshment?" Lando asked, reaching his hand out for Leia to take. "Everyone is invited, of course."

Connan frowned, wondering why the uneasy feeling she'd been ignoring for C-3PO multiplied at the thought of accepting Lando's offer. Before she could object, Han took Leia's arm and they were preparing to leave.

"Connan, I don't like this." Carth muttered to her as he mimicked Han and took Connan's arm.

"I don't either. Stay close to me."

Lando looked at the dismembered C-3PO and frowned. "Having trouble with your droid?"

Han looked surprised at C-3PO. "No. No problem. Why?" Then he led Leia out the door.

Connan and Carth followed.

**XXXXX**

"So you see," Lando continued as they walked down the hallway. Connan had to admit, Cloud City was very large. She could have easily gotten lost by simply exploring. "Since we're a small operation, we don't fall into the jurisdiction of the Empire."

"So you're part of the Mining Guild, then?" Leia guessed.

"No, not actually. Our operation is small enough not to be noticed. Which is advantageous for everybody since our customers are anxious to avoid attracting attention to themselves."

Connan frowned, her restlessness increasing the more they walked. "Aren't you afraid the Empire is going to find out about this little operation, and shut you down?"

Lando shrugged. "It's always been a danger that looms like a shadow over everything we've built." He gave a sheepish smile. "But things have developed that'll ensure security."

"**Guy, I don't like this." **Chewbacca called nervously.

"I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever." Lando finished, stopping in front of a door and pressing the button to open it.

At the end of the table, Vader stood up.

Chewbacca roared his surprise as Han pulled out his blaster and shot at Vader. Vader deflected the blasts and called Han's blaster away from his hands and toward the Sith Lord.

Connan acted on instinct, not allowing the sudden shock and dread to take her by surprise. She leapt from her spot, ignoring the alarmed cries coming from Carth, and unsheathed a lightsaber, slashing at Vader.

Vader pulled out his own and blocked. He swiped at Connan's legs, making her jump up and over his head to his other side. She rammed her shoulder into his, knocking him backward, before she swooped in for another attack.

Vader parried her attack and took an intimidating step forward, nearly plowing right into Connan. She had to leap backward to avoid being pummeled. As she moved, Vader slashed at her again, making her block before she could attack on her own again.

"_I would look to your friends before you choose to attack me again." _Vader's voice reverberated through her head. He must have opened his bond to her again, allowing her to communicate with him through their minds.

Connan paused for a moment and glanced at Carth and the others briefly; long enough to see them surrounded by Stormtroopers and watching her fight intensely.

That pause was all Vader needed. He slammed his fist into the side of Connan's head and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up and slamming her against the wall.

Connan's head was swimming, and her legs kicked out underneath her, trying to figure out where the ground went. She'd been hit so hard she dropped her lightsaber, and couldn't gather enough focus to find it and call it to her without looking. Her oxygen was cut off, and she couldn't think clearly enough to regulate what oxygen she had in her using the Force. Plain and simple, she just _couldn't breathe_.

She gripped Vader's arm tightly and stared at his mask, hoping to see the boy inside before she couldn't hold on anymore.

Vader's grip on her throat tightened.

**XXXXX**

Carth knew he'd been this close to a full-blown panic twice before: once when his wife died and his son was missing, and once when he and Jolee dug Connan out of the Star Forge refuge after she'd killed Malak.

But now, both of those times seemed completely trivial.

As soon as Vader hit Connan—damn it, he _hit _her, and Carth could see Connan's dazed and shocked expression—and slammed her against the wall, Carth gasped. He heard and disregarded Leia's terrified shriek and Han's angry outcry. When he saw her clawing at Vader's machine-hand and watched her change colors, the poor soldier began rambling.

"Oh, my gods, Ani, let her go!" He pleaded. "She can't—she can't breathe. Let her go, _please_, Ani, please!"

Vader chuckled in between breaths and readjusted his hold. From Connan's gasping, he must have held on tighter.

Carth took a step toward Vader and heard the Stormtroopers cocking their blasters. He didn't care. "Anakin, I'm begging you." Vader didn't reply. "Ani, you're going to kill her. You're going to kill—" Carth took a deep breath. "Ani, look at me." Still Vader didn't respond. "Anakin, Vader, _whatever _you want to be called, _please_. Look at me!"

Vader turned his head to regard Carth.

**XXXXX**

When Vader looked the other way, Connan tightened her grip on his choking arm and lifted herself up and high as she could, lifting her legs past her head as far as they could go.

Then she slammed them both forward into Vader's helmet as hard as she could.

Vader grunted in pain as she made contact, and she heard something _crack_, but all that mattered was that Vader's hand let go of her.

Connan hit the ground painfully but alive. She gasped for breath loudly, never so glad to be able to breathe before. Not a moment later a pair of hands sat her up and enveloped her, checking to make sure she was all right. With a hand over her throat, she lay on the ground and leaned up against Carth, who ran a hand through her hair and whispered words into her ear that she couldn't understand at the moment. After two or three _very _deep breaths, Connan looked up at a very irritated Vader.

Connan's first thought was pride. She'd kicked him so hard his helmet had come askew, and his labored breathing became even more so.

But then rage, pure and unadulterated rage swam through her, emanating from Vader, and Connan's pride turned to defiance. In the safety of Carth's arms, she glared at Vader and dared him to make another move.

"Take Solo, Carth, and the Princess away." Vader ordered, his voice distorted by the strange position his helmet sat upon his head in. "Leave Connan to me."

Carth's grip on Connan tightened. "You are _not _separating us."

Vader laughed, swishing his hand through the air and forcing Carth across the room, where the Stormtroopers instantly restrained him. "Oh, but I am."

With that, Vader reached down and fisted the front of Connan's robed, lifting her up into the air.

"_Did you have fun pulling that stunt?"_ Vader's mind asked.

"_It's never fun hurting you, Anakin." _Connan replied shakily, her mind still fuzzy after the last heavy blow to her head. _"I did what I had to do."_

Vader laughed inside her mind. _"You will have to do a lot more when we get to the Emperor."_

Connan spat on his mask. _"Make me."_

Vader used his free hand to wipe the spit off of his mask. _"Very well."_

Behind Vader, a man in a familiar blue armor appeared from behind the wall. _Boba Fett, _her mind told her. He came up to her and placed a dark fabric over her head so she was blinded for a moment.

Then another bludgeoning pain made contact with her head and she was gone.

**XXXXX**

"No!" Carth lunged forward as Vader struck Connan the second time, effectively knocking her out. The Stormtroopers held on tightly, restraining his movements.

On the side, Leia stood huddled up against Han, white as a sheet and too horrified to speak, staring at Boba Fett in fear as if he could teleport at will. Han gripped her tightly, shielding her from any Stormtrooper who might be watching them. He glared at Lando, too angry to speak.

"You gave him Connan." He murmured. "You have _no idea _what you've just done."

"I'm sorry." Lando stated emotionlessly. "I had no choice. They arrived just before you did." He had the grace to look ashamed. "I'm sorry."

Han grasped Leia closer to him and glanced toward Chewbacca. "I'm sorry, too."

**XXXXX**

The man didn't necessarily think he'd been inside the cell too long. Granted, it was dark and dank, so he couldn't exactly tell how long he'd been locked in, but he could count the number of times his healing implants worked to treat whatever injuries he might have, so he had at least _some _semblance of time with him.

Then the door opened, and the man couldn't help but feel a tad victorious. The light streaming in gave him a point in time to fixate on. Now there was _before _the door had opened, and _after_.

When the soldiers—_Stormtroopers_, they called themselves—opened the door, they literally threw a body inside and shut the door again, completely ignoring the man already inside.

He didn't bother shouting back some sort of insult to them. If he did, they might take his companion away, and any sort of chance at escape they had would be gone.

So instead he waited until the footsteps rescinded and made his way toward the limp body.

He didn't think whoever it was was dead. If it was dead, they wouldn't have wasted precious cell space by throwing it down with him, unless it was a new kind of torture to sit in the room with a dead body and watching it decay. Maybe they were hoping the smell would make him talk.

Not that he had anything to talk about. He wasn't even sure what year he was in, anymore.

But at the moment none of this mattered. What mattered was getting whoever it was well enough to bust them both out. So, without much more cause to convince himself, he knelt down to the body and examined it.

And promptly frowned.

From the shape of it, he was dealing with an unconscious _woman_. A _fighting_ woman, at that. He could feel muscles underneath her clothes as he examined her for injuries. What could this woman have done to get herself thrown in with _him?_

Seeing no injuries, the man reached the woman's head and stopped, inspecting the dark cover enclosing her features. He reached over and pulled the bag off of her head.

Cringing, the man could now see why the woman was unconscious. She had a rather nasty welt upon her head, and he could see it growing into a bruise that crawled down her face. As he followed it he got a chance to look at the woman's face for the first time.

And he laughed, loudly and for a long time.

"Damn it all to hell, it's Revan!" The man said to himself, laughing as hard as he could. "I should have _known _something as weird as this was her fault."

**XXXXX**

**This chapter is long, but it's the one I've been waiting to write for this entire story. I've spent all day on it, so don't be too mean about it. I'm tired.**

**Anyway, it's almost Christmas! Yay! And as of Wednesday, it will be one full year since I got my dog. Say Happy Birthday to her.**

**ALSO!! I would appreciate it if you would go to my profile and vote on what you want me to work on next. I'm almost done with ****So She Fell****, and I want some opinion on what I should start after that. Pick one one-shot and one story. The descriptions to each of the ones listed are lower down in the profile. It would really help me out, so please go vote!**

**Any guesses on who the prisoner is? Any at all? Winner gets a shout-out!**

**So, Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all have a good break! I get two weeks off (two weeks of NO CALCULUS!! I could do a happy dance) and after that we have two more weeks of school before the new semester starts, and once the semester starts, I am officially and forever (for this school year) OUT of calculus! There will be no possible way for me to get ground for it again if I'm not in it, right? Yay!**

**Until next week!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	16. Feed Misery

"_**But you shall never bring him back with  
**__**Prayers and weeping from  
**__**The common marsh of death; but in that helpless grief  
**__**You waste away, your evils are  
**__**Unsolved in these tears.  
**__**Why then do you feed your misery?"  
--Electra**_

**Chapter Sixteen: Feed Misery**

They were splitting everyone up.

Han was dragged off before they even went down into the dungeons. Leia struggled and tried to talk them into letting everyone go, but it was no use. Han was around the corner and gone before she could finish a sentence.

They carted her off next, anyway. As soon as they were in the dark, murky hallways, Leia was being pulled in one direction and Carth another, along with Chewbacca and a dismantled C-3PO.

Carth didn't say a word. He knew no matter was said, they would be separated anyway. And besides, there wasn't much he could do with the blaster digging into his side. As much as he wanted to hit and destroy these Stormtroopers, he simply didn't have the equipment or the chance to do so without getting killed.

Besides, he didn't know where they'd taken Connan. Even if he _had _been able to get out of the Stormtroopers' clutches, he wouldn't get far until either getting caught or getting lost, and neither of those options was good. He would simply have to hope that their cell would be escapable.

A door was opened and Carth was chunked inside. He slipped on a puddle on the ground and slid the rest of the way inside the cell. Chewbacca was thrown in after him.

A high-pitched, screeching whistle blared through the cell. Carth covered his ears and tried to block it out, but it cut through his concentration and made him cringe. He could hear Chewbacca roaring, and thrashing about in an attempt to block out the sound.

Then it stopped. Carth's ears were still ringing, but the shrill noise was gone. He dropped his hands from his ears and looked around. The dim lighting in the cell made it extremely hard to see, but Carth could make out that they were trapped in a circular room with bars on all the doors to keep from escape.

Chewbacca was saying something to him, but he wouldn't have been able to understand it even if he _could _hear at the moment. Still, by the way the Wookie was gesturing, Carth could make a guess as to what he meant. "I'm fine." He replied, his voice a lot louder than he anticipated. He tried to lower his voice. "Are you okay?"

The Wookie nodded.

"Good." Carth sighed, leaning against the wall and dropping to a sitting position. "We need to stay alert."

A wayward scream made Carth nearly jump out of his skin. He looked around frantically.

_We need to find Connan_.

He tried the door. Of course it was locked, but he checked it for any sort of weaknesses. There were none. The vent above them probably could have let them escape, but it was barred and Carth didn't think he could fit through it. It would take some time to get one of those bars out, and it was so far up he'd have to have Chewbacca lift him up while he worked.

This was getting worse and worse.

There was no way out, and Carth had no clue what they were doing with Connan.

Connan who they'd hit _again_. While she was _blinded_. Carth was going to kill Boba Fett. With his bare hands.

But first they needed to get out. Carth forced himself to stop thinking about what they might be doing to Connan at the moment and began searching the entire room for a weakness.

The circular room was impenetrable. There was no way they would be able to get out on their own. An hour of searching and all he'd discovered was that cots appeared when he pressed a specific button.

This was getting nowhere. Fast. And Carth's mind kept drifting back to Connan.

Carth wiped at his brow and took a shaky breath.

Chewbacca, who'd been watching Carth work methodically through the room, growled and motioned for Carth to come sit next to him.

"We don't have time to relax, Chewie." Carth snapped. "We have to get out of here."

Chewbacca motioned again, this time growling insistently. Carth sighed and made his way over to the Wookie. Chewbacca grabbed his wrist and yanked him down beside the Wookie. Grunting contentedly, Chewbacca went back to what he was doing.

Chewbacca sat the remains of C-3PO in between Carth and himself and fished out his head. Looking at it thoughtfully, he picked up the droid's torso and reattached the head to the neck.

3PO's eyes flickered orange once. Carth sat up straighter and watched as Chewbacca screwed in the back of his head. C-3PO began to speak, his voice ranging in pitch and speed as Chewbacca continued to calibrate his head carefully.

"I—I'm t-t-t-terribly sorry-y-y-y." C-3PO stuttered. "I d-dndt mn to intr—d-d-d-d—"

C-3PO shut down again and Chewbacca swore. Carth stood and joined the Wookie on the bench in the center of the cell, watching the droid raptly.

Chewie twisted a knob on the droid's neck and he sprang back to life. "No! Secret. Stormtroopers? _Here_? We're in danger! I must tell the others." He gasped. "Oh, no! I've been shot!"

Carth began digging through the rest of the C-3PO refuse pile for spare parts.

**XXXXX**

The first thing Connan did when she came to was open her eyes.

Not that it helped. She couldn't see anything, she couldn't hear anything, and based on how cold she was and how hard her head was pounding, she wouldn't be able to feel her way through anywhere. She didn't know where she was, she wasn't too sure how she got there, and she didn't know if she was alone or not.

"I know you're awake, small fry, so you might as well try to sit up."

Okay, so she knew she wasn't alone, and that her hearing was just fine. Connan slowly sat herself up, clutching her head and nearly falling backward again. Luckily, she landed against a wall. She groaned.

"You should stay still." The voice commented. "It's going to take a while for you to get reoriented after a blow to the head like that. We can talk about escape when you're not going to get sick."

In front of her lay a single lamp, illuminating only about half of the room. It seemed movable, and it had been placed next to Connan, so she wasn't sure how big the cell was.

Time to find out.

"What happened?" She asked to darkness.

"I was hoping you could tell me, actually." The voice from before replied. "They chunked you in here about three or four hours ago. I thought you were dead for a little bit; or at least in some sort of a coma. I tried to help you out; I could siphon off a bit of my own healing implants to treat what I could, but I can only do so much. That's a nasty bruise you've got going there."

Bruise? Connan's hand reached down her cheek and she winced as her fingers brushed the extremely sensitive skin there. When had she gotten that? She couldn't—

"_Damn it!_" She groaned. "That bastard hit me _again_."

"You're going to have to be clearer than that, small fry."

Connan frowned. That voice sounded oddly familiar. "You first." She challenged. Other information began to crawl back to her: where she was, what she'd been doing, who she was with. "Who are you? How long have you been here? Why did they stick me in here with you? Where are the others?"

Connan heard the sound of shuffling feet, and a man came to stand in the light by Connan. Her eyes widened.

_There's no way this is possible._

"What the _hell_?!"

**XXXXX**

Vader came to visit Carth and Chewbacca a few hours after they'd been thrown into the cell. He crossed his arms and breathed deeply through his newly fixed mask.

Carth, for his part, stood up from where he'd been sitting across the room. No way was he going to let Vader stare down at him.

"Where's Connan?" Carth barked. "And Han, and Leia? Are they all right?"

"They are all alive, for the time being." Vader replied. He didn't move from his place in the doorway. "You'll have to suffice with that answer for a while."

Chewbacca growled warningly.

"Why are you keeping us here?" Carth asked, pacing around his side of the cell.

"I'm looking for someone." Vader replied. "Connan just happened to be a lucky catch.

"If you mean you and the Wookie specifically," he snarled as he continued. "The Wookie doesn't have the same connection I need, and torturing _you _would only bring Connan's wrath down faster."

Carth went still. "_Torture_? Ani, _tell _me you aren't torturing Connan."

Vader laughed, stepping out of the doorway and through the other side of the cell. "Good-bye, Carth."

Carth lunged at the door. It shut behind Vader before he could get to it.

**XXXXX**

Before the man could reply to her outburst, Connan leapt and enveloped him in a hug. The man took it in stride, although he did look extremely surprised to have an armful of Jedi. He grunted as she made impact.

"Canderous!" She cried. "I haven't seen you in _ages_! How are you? How is everyone else? What—" Then Connan smacked a hand against her forehead (wincing as she disturbed her bruise) and stared at the man in front of her. "What are _you _doing here? You weren't there when we—we—"

Canderous gave her an odd look. "Revan, are you feeling all right? That smack to your head must have done a lot more damage than I thought."

Connan frowned. _Revan_? "What about the others? Are _they _here, too?"

"Trust me; I have no idea what you're talking about." The man sat down against the wall roughly and banged his head against the cold metal. He ran a hand through his hair and growled.

"How long have you been here? What happened?"

The Mandalorian sighed, shaking his head and tugging at his black hair absentmindedly. "I don't remember. Something attacked me, and I woke up here. Not two minutes later, I was suddenly surrounded by armed soldiers. I woke up in metal head's ship, and they started interrogating me about things I had no way of answering. When they realized I couldn't give them anything, they threw me in here. I've been in here ever since."

Connan cringed. "I'm sorry." She sat down beside him. "If it makes you feel better, my head feels like it's about to explode."

Canderous snorted. "So how did these guys manage to catch the great Revan? Not even our troops at the Second Battle of Onderon could keep you in one place."

Connan shrugged. "Metal Head and I used to be friends. He caught me off guard and smashed his fist into the side of my head."

"Hah!" Canderous barked out a laugh, shrugging when Connan winced.

"So how are the others?" Connan asked. "Carth and Mission have been here with me for about four years now, and we've had no word—understandably—from anyone else."

"What do you mean _understandably_?" Canderous asked. "Revan, where are we?"

Connan's eyes narrowed. "We're four thousand years in the future." _I've told him this before._

Canderous tensed, staring at Connan like she'd grown another head. "You're serious, aren't you? Four _thousand _years in the future?" He snorted again. "You never do anything halfway, do you?"

Connan let out a breath. That went over well. At least he hadn't freaked out. Then again, Canderous wasn't the "freak out" type.

"You still haven't answered my question about the others. How is Jolee? Bastila? Donella? Carth and Mission and I have been wondering."

Canderous frowned. "Who?"

**XXXXX**

Mission fidgeted uselessly in the second seat of their Spearhead. "How much longer until we make it to Bespin?"

"Not long." Luke replied. "Another day or two."

The Twi'Lek sighed, rubbing her temples. "That's too long."

"I know, but we're going as fast as we can." Luke glanced over at her. "We'll get there in time."

He sounded more like he was reassuring himself than Mission.

Mission nodded nonetheless. "Of course we will." She twiddled her thumbs, and for a while they were silent.

"How long has Connan been pregnant?" Luke asked out of the silence.

The question stumped Mission. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

That made Luke snort. "What? Is she overdue or something?"

Mission cocked her head to the side. "Yes and no."

"You're not making any sense."

"Look, I can't explain it without starting from the beginning, and I wasn't _here _for the beginning. I'll let Connan explain it to you after we bust them out of there. Deal?"

Luke sighed. "I guess so." He flexed his hands on the wheel. "I hope they're all right."

"_They'll be fine!" _R2-D2 whirred. _"But… we should probably hurry. Just in case."_

Mission glanced over at him and nudged him. "They're going to be fine. Trust me."

_I hope._

**XXXXX**

**I am completely ashamed of myself for leaving this alone for four months. Extreme writer's block hit me when I knew what I wanted to have happen but I couldn't think of how it would work. Then when I figured out how it would work I had to get there from where I was. Hopefully I'm back on track now. I swear I won't be taking another four-month absence again. That nearly killed me.**

**Sorry for the shortness of the chapter, by the way. If I put everything I wanted to in this chapter it'd be 30+ pages. So no.**

**But I'm back! I know exactly what I'm going to do next, so don't worry about an update from me next week. It's totally going to be there.**

_**Amme Moto**_


End file.
